119th Commencement Countdown:
FRIDAY, MAY 22 | 11 AM
We are excited to celebrate the Class of 2026 at Berkshire's 119th Commencement ceremony held at the Jackman L. Stewart Athletic Center. Following the event, graduates and their families are invited to a special luncheon under the tent. This year's Commencement speaker is Mr. Peter Quilty.
Photographers from Highpoint Pictures will be on campus to capture photos of the graduates before the ceremony, images of them with their diplomas, and family photos on the lawn afterwards.
Celebrate your Berkshire 2026 graduate with our collection of memorabilia! From grad party accessories and lawn signs, to apparel and gifts, The McLanahan Bookstore has everything you need to commemorate this significant milestone. 🐻 💚
Berkshire recently welcomed families to campus for Spring Family Weekend. The event featured a special dinner for the Class of 2026 and their guests, the annual Spring Concert, and other opportunities for families to spend time with their children under the Mountain. Anyone who may have missed Dr. Sarah Bennison's remarks on "Untangling Self-Worth from Achievement" can view a video of her presentation in the Parent and Guardian Hub. Just log into the Parent Portal (link below) and click the green button for the Hub!
Academic Excellence:
Celebrating Our Cum Laude Inductees
Congratulations to our newly inducted members of Berkshire’s chapter of the Cum Laude Society. This distinction is a testament to the elected students’ unwavering curiosity, intellectual discipline, perseverance, and academic vigor.
The Cum Laude Society's motto is 'Areté, Diké, Timé' (Excellence, Justice, Honor). Students earning admission into the Berkshire chapter represent these qualities through their elite performance in Berkshire's most challenging classes. They have earned the respect and admiration of their teachers through hard work, perseverance, and talent." —Clay Splawn, President of the Berkshire chapter of the Cum Laude Society
The Dome 2026
The wait is over: The 2026 edition of The Dome is now available! This year’s issue showcases the diverse voices and creative talents of our student body, featuring work from 33 student contributors in poetry, nonfiction, fiction, ceramics, painting, digital art, and more. The publication was recently celebrated during the annual launch party, when The Geier Library was filled with a supportive audience as select students read from their work or spoke about the meaning behind their artistic process. It was a beautiful evening of storytelling and community, followed by a celebration to honor the hard work of all our artists.
Classroom Spotlight: Advanced Geometry
As a part of Berkshire’s "AI cohort" with Eric Hudson, math teacher Rob Rose is redefining how technology supports learning in his Advanced Geometry class. Throughout the spring, the two collaborated to identify specific areas in Rose’s class where AI could offer a meaningful solution. “Eric’s advice to me was to identify a ‘problem’ I would like to improve and think about if AI could play a role,” Rose said. “My class is mostly problem-solving in groups, as opposed to lectures. In class, they work in groups at the whiteboard, and when they hit roadblocks, it is easy for them to collaborate, help each other, or get guidance from me. When they are working outside of class, however, they sometimes just stop when they get stuck, unsure how to proceed through unfamiliar problems.”
To address this, Mr. Rose developed a custom "Gem" designed to act as a virtual tutor rather than a shortcut. By uploading all of the problem sets from the class and carefully refining the AI’s instructions, he created a tool that mirrors the active-learning strategies used in class. The most significant challenge in building this tool was overcoming the AI's tendency to simply provide a final answer. Most generative AI is programmed to be immediately "helpful" by completing tasks, but Mr. Rose specifically configured his Gem to withhold the answer—no matter how often or creatively asked by the student.
Instead, the Gem helps coach them through the various problem-solving strategies they would deploy together in class. For example, the Gem might suggest drawing out the problem in a diagram or on a coordinate plane, simplify the numbers, or refer to a similar problem for inspiration. My goal with this Gem is that it “hopefully gives my students another tool for getting started on challenging problems when they are outside of class,” Rose said, “while steering them away from AI tools that will simply spit out answers.”
The Gem is a very helpful out-of-class tool because it answers exactly how Mr. Rose would in class and doesn't give me the answer, but pushes me in the same direction I would go in class." —Shannon Fischer '29
Before the Gem, I struggled with starting the problems, as I was either confused by what the problems were asking or was unsure how to start. However, the AI Gem has given me a substitute for Mr. Rose, whom I can bounce ideas off of and explain the questions in greater detail, increasing the work I do outside of class." —Frannie Hall '29
Last month’s TEDx Berkshire School event was a showcase of the curiosity and leadership that define our community. If you couldn’t make it for the live presentations, we are thrilled to share the official recording with you today. Our 2026 speaker lineup dove into topics like the "Butterfly Effect" and the importance of "Toddler Confidence." It is a must-watch for anyone looking to be inspired by the next generation of thinkers. Featured Speakers: Molly Yan '28, Zoe Zhang '28, Abigail Smith '28, Milly Pillsbury '28, Esmé Goodman '28, Alexis Johnson, Michael Lee, and Sam Lewis '14. A special thanks to student organizer Claire Kim '26 and Mr. Clay Splawn for their vision and leadership!
Bears Excel at The
Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair
We are thrilled to celebrate Helena Hu '27, Jasmine Shen '27, Allan Qi '27, and Junwoo Lim '27 for their recognition at this year’s Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair (MSEF)! During the Region 1 MSEF competition, Jasmine Shen and Allan Qi both earned a Second Place Prize, and Helena Hu was awarded a First Place Prize, as well as the AMD Engineering Excellence Award and the Yale Science & Engineering Association Award. All three students advanced to the State Competition, where they joined Junwoo Lim, who had received a direct nomination to the state level. The State MSEF competition brought together the most rigorous and innovative projects from across Massachusetts. After a demanding day of presenting to panels of judges, Berkshire students received high praise for their tenacity and creativity. The State Judges recognized Junwoo Lim with a Second Place Prize for his cutting-edge approach to the visualization of brainwave (EEG) data.
Congratulations to team Guilder–Julio Azuaje Mijares '26, Gus Chong '26, and Bauer Gammill '27– for winning the Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize! Guilder's business plan utilizes AI software to help homeowners save money and reduce their carbon footprint. On April 23, an esteemed panel of judges convened on campus to hear six business plans from the 19 students enrolled in Chris Perkins’ Advanced Economics course.
"The Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize pushed the students to think critically, communicate clearly, and defend their concepts in a real-world way, and I was blown away by how thoughtful and well-developed each of the ideas was," said judge Emily Harrigan Zelenovic '08. "Every team clearly put in a tremendous amount of work, not just in coming up with creative concepts, but in really thinking through execution, market need, and long-term impact. These weren’t surface-level ideas. They were practical, innovative solutions with real-world potential, and the students presented them with a level of confidence and professionalism that exceeded expectations." The Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize is an initiative to educate and expose Berkshire students to entrepreneurship and sustainability. Established in 2011 with the generous support of the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation, the Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize is awarded annually to the best business plan for a product, service, project, or program that is not only financially feasible but also contributes to living in more sustainable communities.
Congratulations to all of the teams on incredibly strong initiatives and presentations: (From left) PeakReserve: Georgia Perkins '26, Soren Gates '26, and Charlotte Davenport '26 PaperTrail: Chloe Egan '26, Andrew Hammill '27, and Hannah Knight '26 Guilder: Gus Chong '26, Julio Azuaje Mijares '26, and Bauer Gammill '27 BlueLoop Recycling: Rori Nisi '27, Harry Whent '27, and Harper Allen '26 NextGen Energy: Jack Mugler '26, Rory Perkins '26, and Dean Calio '27 ForestEdge: David Peracchia '26, Dylan Chernoff '26, Eli Boren '26, and Jack Giles '26 In keeping with tradition, judges come from the greater Berkshire community. We extend our thanks to this year’s volunteer judges: Andrew Koudijs '16, Anthony St. Clair P'27, and Emily Harrigan Zelenovic '08.
Reaching New Heights in Engineering
Using the recent record-setting Artemis II launch and recovery as inspiration, Mr. Paul Haberstroh’s Engineering class recently built and launched their own solid-fuel model rockets. “Rocket science is more relevant than ever and is an excellent way to incorporate advanced math and physics concepts into the engineering curriculum,” said Mr. Haberstroh. This project brought those concepts to life, as students applied Newton’s Laws to understand flight and utilized trigonometry to calculate their rocket’s apogee, or peak height.
Students constructed their models using precise processes that mirror real-world aerospace engineering. This included performing stability tests and studying the critical relationship between the center of gravity and the center of pressure. Beyond the physics of flight, the curriculum also explored the chemistry of engine propellants and the electronics of ignition systems. During their initial tests, the rockets reached altitudes of approximately 400 feet. The class is now refining their designs with the goal of surpassing 1,000 feet during their next two launches.
A.P. Art Exhibit
The annual A.P. Student Art Exhibit is currently on display in The Warren Family Gallery! This year's group of advanced art students has produced a diverse range of portfolios, spanning painting, photography, sculpture, digital art, ceramics, and more! Make sure to check it out during any of the end-of-year celebrations!
Spanish IV students presented their interpretation of Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra in the Atrium this spring. 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 and Sra. Rose.
2025 NEPSA Award Winners
Congratulations to Zoe Zhang '28 and Trevor Sullivan Weinstein '25 for receiving Honorable Mention Awards at the 2025 New England Scholastic Press Association (NEPSA) awards. These awards were announced earlier in spring 2026. Zoe placed in the Personality Profile category for her piece "An Educational Hero." Trevor won in the Bylined Column category for his "What A Second Trump Administration Means."
Spring Dance Concert
May 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Allen Theater
The upcoming Spring Dance Concert will feature a variety of styles, including ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, jazz, and K-Pop.
Dancers: Lyla Carmona '29, Nuala Chee '27, Sara He '28, Claire Kim '26, and Noel Yi '26
Dance Program Director Madison Bagby shared the following concert preview:
"This spring, the dancers brought a sense of joy and purpose to each practice. They lifted each other up, challenged themselves, and approached rehearsals with a growth mindset. The spring squad was a case study for what it means to be a Bear; these five young women embraced the genuine athletic and artistic challenges as a united front. They were consistently kind and in each other's corners, which was a big proponent of this season’s success." "This was a season where dancers came in with a diverse set of skills, so it has been wonderful to watch them practice humbly and take every opportunity to learn from each other and grow together. Whether it was their eagerness to conquer challenging choreography or simply the joy with which they came together and danced, this team persisted and came out as a resilient and cohesive team. I am looking forward to them sharing their talent, hard work, and artistry with our community."
Alumni Spotlight
Murphy Newman Liggio ’13 is cultivating a healthier future for her community as the co-owner of Harvest House, a mission-driven smoothie and juice bar in Canton, N.Y. Drawing inspiration from her years on Berkshire’s lacrosse and soccer fields, she has transformed a lifelong passion for sports nutrition into a thriving business that champions local North Country agriculture while providing healthier lifestyle options for her hometown. In our latest Alumni Spotlight, Murphy shares her journey from student-athlete to entrepreneur and discusses how she balances her roles as a full-time school counselor, varsity coach, small business owner, and mom. Read more to hear her favorite memories of life under the Mountain and her advice on why you should never let the fear of the unknown hold you back from pursuing your passions.
Join host Kelley Bogardus, Associate Director of College Counseling and Varsity Field Hockey Assistant Coach, for Episode 5, Season 3 of The Campus Loop. This week, Mrs. Bogardus caught up with Scott Kelly, French Teacher, Cross Country Girls Assistant Coach, Freestyle Skiing Assistant Coach, and next year's International Student Coordinator. Check it out!