Look Back at Our Fun-Filled Family Weekend

Thank you to all Bearcat families who joined us for Family Weekend! Click here to view photos.

Don't Miss Out!

Read the full content below for timely campus news stories:  

• Roar for Hotchkiss During Taft Day on Nov. 11!
• Farm Fest Features Fall Fun, Kicks Off Farm Week
• Hotchkiss Speech and Debate Team Continues Winning Season
• 2022-23 Book Prizes Awarded for Outstanding Achievement
• Varsity Mountain Biking Rides to First for Third Time
• Hotchkiss Philharmonic Season Opens Nov. 4
• HDA Presents Little Shop of Horrors Nov. 10-12
• Alumni and Parent Events
• ... and More!

Happy Halloween at Hotchkiss!

Hotchkiss was full of Halloween spirit on Oct. 31. Students and faculty wore costumes, the Dining Hall featured spooky meals like Devil's Chicken and Monster Bones, and campus children went trick-or-treating. View photos.

Farm Fest Features Fall Fun, Kicks Off Farm Week

Farm Fest was so much fun at Fairfield Farm on Oct. 8. Bearcats carved pumpkins, harvested apples and pears, made apple cider, ate hot dogs and s’mores, played games, and enjoyed fall. The festival kicked off Farm Week at Hotchkiss. Daily events educated and inspired students to learn more about their food system. View more Farm Fest photos.

Roar for Hotchkiss During Taft Day on Nov. 11!

The excitement and spirit of the annual Hotchkiss/Taft rivalry is almost here! This year the Bearcat-Rhino showdown will take place in Lakeville on Saturday, Nov. 11. View the upcoming Taft Day games schedule for times. All are welcome to spectate and roar for the Bearcats! While you're on campus, join us for the Hotchkiss Dramatic Association's production of Little Shop of Horrors from Nov. 10-12 and stop by the Tremaine Art Gallery for photographer Lisa Elmaleh's exhibition Promised Land // Tierra Prometida. Parents and young alumni can also participate in the Taft Day excitement with two challenges! View more details in the Alumni and Parent Programs section below.

Hotchkiss Speech and Debate Team Continues Winning Season

The Hotchkiss Speech and Debate Team excelled at all of its October competitions. Bearcats swept all of the top prizes at their home tournament on Oct. 29 when Hotchkiss welcomed 100 debaters from 13 schools. From Oct. 19-22, members of the team traveled to Canada and won multiple trophies at an international competition. Read more about both events. Debaters attended the first public speaking competition of the season at Stoneleigh-Burnham School on Oct. 1 and came away with a first-place finish there for the first time in more than 10 years.

2022-23 Book Prizes Awarded for Outstanding Achievement

Each year, Hotchkiss awards Book Prizes to recognize members of the prep, lower-mid, and upper-mid classes for outstanding academic achievement. These students have demonstrated mastery of relevant content, keen critical thinking, and impressive curiosity. View the recipients of the 2022-23 Book Prizes. Hotchkiss congratulates all recipients for their commitment, passion, and leadership.

Round Square Delegation Travels to Kenya for Conference

A delegation of seven students and three faculty members traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, in October to represent Hotchkiss at the Round Square International Conference. They connected with a diverse group of schools from around the world and learned about the Round Square ideals of international understanding, democracy, environmental stewardship, adventure, leadership, and service. Learn more about Round Square.

Hotchkiss Hosts Students, Teachers from Germany

After a COVID hiatus, Hotchkiss once again hosted a group of students and teachers from the Kaiserin Friedrich Gymnasium in Bad Homburg, Germany, from Oct. 6-12. The group toured our campus, spent time at Fairfield Farm, and attended classes. They also visited nearby locations such as the Norman Rockwell Museum and the Vanderbilt Mansion. Marc Dittmer, German program coordinator and instructor in German, organized their visit. 

Special Olympics Speaker and Professional Skier Address Bearcats

Guest speakers addressed Hotchkiss students during All-School Meetings last week. David Evangelista (top photo), regional president and managing director of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, took the stage in Elfers Hall as part of the Beal Lecture Series on Oct. 26. He was joined on stage by numerous guests, including representatives of Special Olympics Connecticut and Special Olympics Slovakia, two organizations that are supported by the annual Hotchkiss Swimathon. The next morning, the leaders of the Hotchkiss Ski and Board Club invited Alex Hackel (bottom photo) to speak about his career, creativity, and motivation. He is a decorated professional skier who has been a member of the U.S. Ski Team and won two X-Games medals. He has also produced five-feature length ski films that have won critical acclaim from film festivals.

New CS4H Speaker Series Brings Alumni in Tech to Campus

Roger Wistar P'26, director of computer science and instructor in mathematics and computer science, launched the new CS4H (Computer Science for Hotchkiss) Speaker Series in September to bring alumni and other distinguished speakers in technology to campus to share their thoughts and experiences with the community. This new initiative is designed to improve the quality, reach, and impact of computer science for Hotchkiss. Mike Edgar '06, a senior software engineer at Google, kicked off the inaugural event in September with a talk about hiring at big tech (top photo). Laura Watson '14, a technology and advisory manager at CohnReznick, spoke on Oct. 10 about the role of data and technology in modern businesses (bottom photo).

Spencer Humes '24 Shares Essential iPhone Skills in New Book

Spencer Humes ’24 has been helping his grandmothers use their iPhones. He decided to put all his tips in his new book, NanaTech — A Tech Teenager Shares Essential Skills for Getting the Most Out of Your iPhone, which will be available to purchase on Nov. 6. “I was always being asked, ‘hey, how do I connect again? Can you help me remember what the icons are?' So I figured I could take a refined list of all these things ... and just make the definitive edition of those 10 things,” Spencer told The Berkshire Eagle during an interview in the EFX Lab last week. Read Spencer’s story in The Berkshire Eagle.

October Alum of the Month: Lindsay Reed '18

Lindsay Reed ’18 is a two-time gold medalist for Team USA hockey in the Women’s World Championships, and she recently added three more gold medals to her collection—this time as business owner and co-founder of Kawama Tequila & Soda. Lindsay and her brother, Kersey Reed ’12, received gold medals for each of their canned tequila soda flavors at the world’s largest spirits competition. The siblings, who are dedicated to giving back, donate a portion of their revenue to protect ocean life. Read more.

Special Olympics Connecticut Honors Quisha Lee '24

Representatives from Special Olympics Connecticut visited Hotchkiss on Oct. 12 to recognize and thank Quisha Lee ’24 for her spectacular “Soaring Souls” photography exhibition, which has raised nearly $60,000 for the organization. Quisha channeled her love of photography and her passion to support Special Olympics into her “photolanthropy” project, which documents Special Olympians in Connecticut, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The show was displayed at Hotchkiss in the spring and in Hong Kong over the summer. Read more.

Bearcats Partner with Three Schools for St. Luke's Crop Walk

Hotchkiss students walked for a good cause during St. Luke Society’s annual Crop Walk on Oct. 1. To amplify their impact, Bearcats partnered with Salisbury School, Indian Mountain School, and Millbrook School (and their mascots!) to walk on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail in Millerton to raise funds for Lakeville’s Corner Food Pantry. View more photos.

Chinese Club Celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival

The Chinese Club celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept. 30 with mooncakes, singing, and fun. View a short video on Instagram.

English Instructor Janan Alexandra Wins Poetry Prize

Congratulations to Janan Alexandra—instructor in English, instructor for the MacLeish Scholars Program, and assistant director of diversity, equity, and inclusion—for winning the 2023 Adrienne Rich Award from Beloit Poetry Journal. Renowned poet Marie Howe, former Poet Laureate of New York State, selected Alexandra's poem "on form and matter" for the prize. "I kept coming back to this poem—which looks deceptively simple: folding sheets at the communal laundry line," Howe wrote. "But what it holds is so much: one and many, what is and what might be, you and me, head and heart, garden and the appearance of garden, the present and the future—all bundled into the now of folding, matching one frowning corner of a sheet to another. Form and Matter indeed. And I felt addressed as a reader, folded in, included in this poet's philosophical reverie, and I felt joy."

Bearcats Help Local Students Learn Engineering, Coding, and More

Members of the Hotchkiss Robotics Team and Maker’s Club are helping area children in grades four through six build a “Smart City” at Hotchkiss as part of a new student-led program. The first two sessions of the multiple-week course were held on Oct. 22 and 29. Participants are learning about electronics, circuitry, engineering, coding, sensors, and more. Also, Jai Rizvi '26 will host free Coding Boot Camp classes Sundays from 10-11 a.m. beginning Nov. 5. Jai, who will be joined by other experienced coders, has taught coding for the STEM Impact Center in Nairobi, Kenya. Students will learn Scratch, JavaScript, and a variety of other coding skills.

Deadline is Nov. 3 for March Break Travel and Exchanges

Applications for multiple travel programs are due Nov. 3. Details about "Hotchkiss in the World" programs in Colombia, Italy, and Singapore have been shared with all students, and they have access to the applications and grant proposals for these opportunities. Students should also confirm if they intend to participate in one of the March Break athletic training programs. Finally, applications to go on exchange over March Break plus a week (Germany and Singapore), during the fourth marking period (Colombia, France, Peru, and South Africa), or for six to seven weeks in the summer (India) are also due on Nov. 3. Reach out to David Thompson, director of international programs, with questions. 

Varsity Mountain Biking Rides to First for Third Time

Bearcats held their first and only home mountain biking race this season at Hotchkiss on Oct. 4 and won first place! The race was held in the beautiful Beeslick Brook Woods, with the warm and sunny weather accompanying the bikers. Read more.

Boys and Girls Cross Country Place Second at Invitational

Both the boys and girls varsity cross country teams earned second place at the Williston Invitational on Oct. 28. Ciaran Groom ’24 placed third overall for the boys, and Caleigh Lane ’27 placed third overall for the girls. Hotchkiss will host the Founders League Cross Country Championships on Nov. 4. Be sure to watch it live and cheer on our Bearcats!

Girls Varsity Soccer Supports Breast Cancer Awareness

On Oct. 25, the bright splashes of pink could be spotted all around the Hotchkiss campus as the girls varsity soccer team played Worcester Academy in the game dedicated to breast cancer awareness. The team also hosted a walk for breast cancer awareness on Oct. 22 to support Susan G. Komen. Read more.

Bearcat Athletes Launch Free Sports Clinics for Area Children

Hotchkiss athletes are volunteering their time and talent to host free sports clinics for area children as part of a new community service project organized by St. Luke's Society. The inaugural tennis clinic on Oct. 8 and the following lacrosse clinic on Oct. 22 were very successful. The clinics are the brainchild of Julia Widen '24, who is one of the student heads of St. Luke's. She is also a captain of the varsity field hockey team and member of the girls varsity track and field team. Read more.

Author, Sports Journalist Visits Hotchkiss

Bearcats enjoyed a great sports lesson with Tim Rappleye earlier this month. The author, sports journalist, producer, and broadcaster spoke with students and signed copies of his book, A Miracle of Their Own: A Team, A Stunning Gold Medal and Newfound Dreams for American Girls.

Philharmonic Season Opens Nov. 4

The Hotchkiss Philharmonic season opens this Saturday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m., featuring Chinese violin superstar Siqing Lu. Performed in Katherine M. Elfers Hall in the Esther Eastman Music Center, this concert is free and open to the public; no ticket reservations are necessary. Seating is first-come, first-served. The orchestra combines a group of outstanding professional musicians with talented Hotchkiss music students, giving those students the unique opportunity to work and perform alongside world-class artists. Read more.

Upcoming Music Performances

All performances are free and open to the public and will be held in Katherine M. Elfers Hall in the Esther Eastman Music Center, unless otherwise noted.

Hotchkiss Philharmonic: Saturday, Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m.

Instrumental Recital: Tuesday, Nov. 7, 6:30 p.m.

Voice Recital: Tuesday, Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m.

Jazz Concert: Thursday, Nov. 18, 7 p.m.

Hotchkiss Orchestra: Saturday, Dec. 2, 7 p.m.

Lessons and Carols: Sunday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m. (Chapel)

Hotchkiss Dramatic Association Presents Little Shop of Horrors Nov. 10-12

The Hotchkiss Dramatic Association will present Little Shop of Horrors in Walker Auditorium on Nov. 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov 12 at 2 p.m. The performances are directed by MK Lawson, instructor in theatre and humanities. In Little Shop of Horrors by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, the human race encounters a deadly threat to its very existence. The fate of the world rests on one innocent and insecure man who is tempted by, and must grapple with, the forces that feed on that most dangerous of human faults—insatiable greed. But have no fear, it’s a comedy based on the cult classic horror film. And the 1960s-inspired soundtrack is infectious. Let's have "Some Fun Now"!