We celebrated eight student-athletes who signed their National Letters of Intent to compete at the Division I level after graduating from Berkshire. We're proud of their dedication, talent, and hard work, both in the classroom and on the field. We can't wait to see them compete next year!
We will recognize additional DI signees and any DII or DIII commitments again in the spring. Stay tuned for details!
Dispatch From the Dome
The editorial staff of The Dome launched "Dispatch from The Dome" at the start of the academic year to highlight the literary and artistic talents of Berkshire students on a monthly basis. November's Dispatch features this photo of Beartooth Pass in Yellowstone Park taken by Dax Mutter '28, and Lila Barkan '27's poem, "Learning to Drive."
Georgina Clarke '26 and Chidera Okeke '26, two of the editors of The Dome, introduced Dax and Lila's work by saying:
We selected Dax Mutter’s photo, ‘Dusk,’ because it’s more than a pretty picture. We admired the technical skill and care demonstrated in this photo, with its incredible composition, beautiful color grading, and lighting that must have been a paid actor because the way it hits the side of the mountain and reflects off the water feels unreal." –Chidera Okeke '26
What drew us to Lila’s piece is the way she balances humor and horror, and plays with line breaks and rhyme schemes to create a sharp, rhythmic piece. Lila captures that weird tension between the rules we’re taught to follow and the emotions that lie underneath them. The poem is both darkly funny and unsettling, and it stays with you long after you read it." –Georgina Clark '26
The next Dispatch will be published on Monday, December 15. All submissions will be due by Monday, December 8, at 3 p.m.
Bears Compete at Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament
Four Bears recently competed in the Harvard-MIT Math Tournament (HMMT), which is one of the largest and most prestigious high school math competitions in the world, with over 125 teams from across the globe. Participants compete by solving problems involving geometry, algebra and number theory, combinatorics and probability. According to its mission statement, the HMMT aims "to encourage interest in math, to engage a diverse community of students and support them in reaching beyond traditional math curriculums, and to provide insight into what a future in math may look like." Junwoo Lim '27, RunQi Zhang '26, Hanson Li '28, and Gordon Shi '29 represented Berkshire at HMMT. This is Berkshire's second year attending the tournament, and the team notably solved 8/10 problems in the Team Round. The team heads to BrUMO at Brown in February. Go Bears!
Delegates Travel for Model UN
Berkshire's Model United Nations (MUN) team recently participated in the Model UN Conference at the University of Connecticut. Alongside 400 other delegates from 35 New England schools, the Bears worked to understand complex issues, debated topics, developed solutions, and collaborated on resolutions within the framework of UN protocol. The Berkshire delegates represented the United Kingdom in the Security Council, UN Human Rights Commission, Economic and Financial Committee, Disarmament and International Security, The World Health Organization, UN Human Rights Council, and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Berkshire MUN travels to Yale in January.
Berkshire's 2025-26 Model UN Delegates: Tildie Ettedgui '27, Chloe O'Brien '27, Lauren Stenzler '27, Blythe Beran '28, Esmé Goodman '28, Albina Tepsur '28, and Welles Sharpe '29
I enjoy Model UN because of the skills it has allowed me to gain and develop through interesting, interactive, and exciting conversations and connections. Model UN is just as much the people as it is your argument, and the club has helped me develop my argumentative and leadership abilities." –Tildie Ettedgui '27, MUN Club Leader
My biggest takeaway is that Model UN is not about being the best or perfect. It's about being patient with yourself and learning as you go. You don't need to enter the room knowing everything there is to know about your topic or country. Avoiding self-doubt has been crucial to my learning experience." –Lauren Stenzler '27, MUN Club Leader
3 Bears Qualify for All-State Music Competition
Three Berkshire music students recently participated in the Massachusetts Music Educators Association Western District (MMEA WED) Music Festival at Westfield University. This showcase features the state’s most talented high school musicians who perform in chorus, concert band, jazz band, and orchestra. We had a fantastic showing this year, with all three Bears qualifying for the all-state competition in January! Bravo to Sam Wang '27 (bass), Allan Qi '27 (bass), and Luka Davis '26 (tenor) on their fantastic performances. Good luck at the all-state competition!
Alumni Spotlight: Maggie Ding '25
Maggie Ding ’25 was recently named an undergraduate researcher at the Wood Lab at Duke University. In this role, she works under a Ph.D. student mentor. She is currently focused on three projects: One uses machine learning to study how to design treatments to combat the causes of drug resistance on a molecular level. The second is in partnership with a surgeon at Duke Hospital who provides chemo and targeted drug-resistant cancer cell samples in the study of genes related to drug resistance. And the third uses machine learning to predict characteristics of cancer cells that are likely to metastasize into lung and liver cancer.
AMSR and Dr. Burch have prepared me so well for college research. No other freshmen (or many upperclassmen) have had the amount of wet lab, dry lab, and independent research experience that I do. These are so invaluable, and the lab PI [primary investigator] was very impressed with what I studied in AMSR. This is my first step, and I am really excited to do cancer research at such a cutting-edge lab.” –Maggie Ding '25
ProVita Saturday Preview:
The next Pro Vita Programming event, "Performance: Play, Passion, & Purpose", will be on Saturday, December 13. Students will spend the morning exploring the question, "What are the ingredients that lead to our best performances in the classroom, on the field, court, and stage?", along with learning about the common characteristics of highly successful teams and groups. The morning program will feature group challenges, discussion with guest speakers, including alumni, and surprise activities throughout. Stay tuned for more details after the Thanksgiving holiday break!
Congratulations to Varsity Football for finishing the regular season undefeated in the Evergreen League at 7-0 and earning a trip to the NEPSAC Football Championship Bob Souza Bowl against Noble and Greenough. The Bears came out on top with a thrilling 14-13 victory, showcasing their resilience and commitment all season long. Well done, Bears!
Watch highlights from the Bob Souza Bowl below!
Fall Sports Highlights
Girls Varsity Soccer and Field Hockey made playoffs!
Congratulations to Girls Varsity Soccer and Field Hockey on earning a spot in postseason play this fall. Both teams advanced to the first round of the playoffs through hard work, determination, and teamwork, representing the Bears with pride all season long!
The Field Hockey team also earned the Certificate of Sportsmanship from the Western Massachusetts Field Hockey Officials Association! This honor recognizes the team's outstanding sportsmanship, respect, and integrity throughout the 2025 season. Way to go, Bears!
Boys High School Soccer All-American Nominees
Emmanuel Marmolejo ’26 and Danel Esprit ’26 will represent Berkshire in this year’s Boys High School Soccer All-American Game on Saturday, December 13, in Charleston, South Carolina. Marmolejo, a Georgetown commit from Milton, Ontario, anchored the Bears’ defense this fall with 79 saves and seven shutouts in 14 matches, while Esprit, a Penn State commit from Brampton, Ontario, led the team offensively with 25 points.
JV Girls Field Hockey goes undefeated!
Congratulations to JV Field Hockey on an impressive undefeated fall season at 11-0-2! The team’s steady play, clear communication, and strong chemistry made for a standout campaign.
Winter Athletics: December Hockey Preview
Pink Out vs. Taft
On Saturday, December 6 at 7 p.m., the Boys Varsity Hockey team travels to The Taft School for the 18th Annual D'Arco Cup, a game played in memory of Lucille D'Arco to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research. It's always an exciting night of hockey, played for a great cause.
Skate For Her Game to Support Do It For Daron
The annual Skate For Her game brings young female skaters together with the Girls Varsity Hockey team in an event that celebrates female athletes. This year, the Bears will play in support of the Do It For Daron (DIFD) organization, which "encourages young people to talk openly about mental illness and to ask for help when needed." Cheer them on as they host Lawrenceville on Saturday, December 13 at 4 p.m.
Highpoint Pictures will return to campus on Friday, December 12 from 11-1 p.m.
All retakes will be taken indoors! Students, faculty, and staff can all take a retake photo.
If you would like to have your photo retaken, or if you missed October's Fall Photo Day, please email staff@highpointpictures.com to reserve your spot!
For the Bears on your List
Shop all the essential Berkshire gear and get 20% off your entire order! No minimum order amount required. You'll find cozy hats, mittens, sweats and sweatshirts, as well as gift items like jewelry, ties, totes, and more!
The sale starts on Black Friday, November 28, and runs through Monday, December 1. Use the code TAKE20 to save 20%, and start your holiday shopping for all your favorite Bears at The McLanahan Bookstore!
Beyond the Mountain: Berkshire Alumni Share Career Insights in New York City
The Alumni Career Panel Discussion, Beyond the Mountain: Berkshire Building Impactful Careers, brought together an inspiring group of Bears on Monday, November 17, in New York City. After opening remarks from John Diebold ’07, AVP at Antares Capital, moderator James Demmert ’82, founder and CIO of Main Street Research, led a conversation showcasing the diverse and evolving career paths of Berkshire alumni across industries. The dynamic panel included:
- Nina Bradley Clarke ’90, podcaster and influencer
- Nicolas Farina ’04, Vice President of Operations, EOS Hospitality
- Allison Fox ’11, Senior Manager of Business Development and Strategy, Microsoft
- Michael Harrison ’04, Senior Executive Vice President and General Manager, Starpower
- Angela Lange Meredith-Jones ’87, art historian, art advisor, and ceramicist
Together, they reflected on their professional journeys, shared perspectives on emerging industry trends, and emphasized how innovation, creativity, and adaptability continue to shape their work. The audience included alumni exploring new career directions as well as those seeking to stay ahead in a rapidly changing professional landscape. Following the panel, attendees enjoyed time mingling, networking, and reconnecting with classmates and friends—an energizing reminder of the strength and reach of the Berkshire community.
Join host Kelley Bogardus, Associate Director of College Counseling, Varsity Field Hockey Assistant Coach, and Girls JV Hockey coach, for Episode 3, Season 3 of The Campus Loop. This week, Mrs. Bogardus caught up with Caddie Jackson, Kenefick Center for Learning Specialist, Health & Wellness teacher, Boys Thirds Soccer Assistant Coach, and Girls Thirds Lacrosse Head Coach. Check it out!