2019 Upper School Awards

The St. Luke’s Upper School Awards assembly is an annual event that recognizes outstanding student contributions to the St. Luke’s Upper School community during the 2018-2019 school year.  This year’s assembly was held on Tuesday, May 21, in the Seldin Performing Arts Center.

The award of Distinction in Art is given to students who possess a dynamic passion, talent, and aptitude for imagining and creating art. Additionally, they demonstrate a deep intellectual curiosity about the discipline of art in general. These art students consistently go beyond criteria for any given project, creating thoughtful artworks that demonstrate mastery of principles of art and technical skill. In the magical process of bringing into physical form things that did not exist before, things of significance, these artists craft their own personal meaning through sensitive and powerful expressions.

Students earning Distinction in designLab have demonstrated strong, creative problem-solving abilities through the application of computer science, engineering, or both. They have learned to solve comprehensive problems, both individually and collaboratively, and through the process have shown that they can apply abstraction and computational thinking to real-world design challenges. Additionally, they are curious and empathetic and have developed as independent learners through their experiences with the designLab.

Students receiving Distinction in English must first and foremost have a keen interest in literature — both reading it and discussing it. They also craft essays that are insightful, original, and erudite. Indeed, they look forward to each new book with eager anticipation, and they view writing and speaking as opportunities to express their ideas with style.

The History Department recognizes scholars for their pursuit of genuine understanding about historical events, for their self-discipline in the pursuit of knowledge, for the clarity and insight of their written work, and for their consistent contributions toward the stated goals of their classes.

The award of Distinction in Mathematics is given to students who have great mathematical ability and aptitude, as well as an intellectual curiosity about the subject. These students are independent thinkers who seek clarity and sound understanding in a mathematical discipline, showing persistence and follow-through in their distinctive desire for understanding and in their passion to learn.

This award is given in recognition of singular merit, ability, and achievement of outstanding contributions to the success of the St. Luke’s Band and Choir program and for unusual degrees of loyalty, cooperation, and high qualities of conduct and a commitment to excellence, which includes giving of their time and talents for the good of the St. Luke’s music program.

The award of Distinction in Science is given to students who display significant interest and achievement in the science disciplines. These students engage with the material in intellectual and creative ways, indicating a desire to truly understand the world around them. They challenge themselves to consistently achieve a deeper level of knowledge and are active problem solvers both within and outside of the classroom.

The award for excellence in Acting is given to talented actors who demonstrate an ability and awareness to empathize with characters they portray, take artistic risks, and embrace the given circumstances of a story with fearless abandon. These actors are artistic leaders who, with their bravery and creativity, move audience members to tears and laughter. They command the stage, exude leadership behind the scenes, and give their best every time.

A student earning departmental distinction in world languages is profoundly passionate about language and culture. Such students actively seek an in-depth, detailed, and multi-faceted understanding of their language of study. They delight in finding chances to use the target language both in and outside of class and jump at opportunities to immerse themselves in learning about the cultures of other lands and people.

Klein Leadership Award:  Finnbar Regan
The Emerging Leader Award recognizes a St. Luke’s student of good character in the freshman class who possesses leadership potential. The award recipient receives a scholarship to attend an Outward Bound program this summer. The award aligns with the Center for Leadership’s mission to find one’s voice and make a difference.

 

James Radley Mattioli Impact Award: Alexandra Riley
This award is given to a sophomore or junior who through their action and reflection has meaningfully engaged with a nonprofit, non-political organization. Named in memory of a young victim of the Sandy Hook shooting, James Radley Mattioli, the son of St. Luke’s alumnus Mark Mattioli who graduated in 1988, the awardee will be given money to donate to the organization that has inspired them and helped them unlock their potential as an agent of change in our world.  

 

The Brown University Book Award honors the junior who best combines academic excellence with clarity in written and spoken expression.

The Cornell Book Award is given to juniors who show an awareness of cultural diversity and is an excellent student, good citizen, and innovative thinker.  

The Dartmouth Book Award is given to a student who ranks in the top 10 percent of the junior class; has strong character; has made a positive impact on the life of the school; and excels in at least one non-academic area.

The GW Book Award recognizes a high school junior who embodies the GW drive and spirit, specifically with their academic excellence, leadership outside of the classroom, diversity of thought, and ability to put knowledge into action.

The Harvard Book Prize is given to a student who displays excellence in scholarship and high character, in addition to achievement in other fields.

The Kalamazoo College Book Award is given to a junior whose actions demonstrate a commitment to social justice and human rights in the St. Luke’s community and beyond.

The St. Lawrence Book Award recognizes a junior who has demonstrated academic success and been identified as someone who displays a significant commitment to community service, both at the school and in the local community.

The University of Virginia Jefferson Award is given to a well-rounded junior who represents the Jeffersonian ideals of scholarship, leadership, and citizenship.

The Williams College Book Award is given to a junior who has demonstrated intellectual leadership and made a significant contribution to the extracurricular life of the school.

The Nobbe Award is given to the Upper School student who is most instrumental in advancing journalism at St. Luke’s School. Mr. George Nobbe, during his years here in the 1940s, was an enthusiastic staff member of the newspaper. He then went on to Harvard and Columbia and had a long and noteworthy career as an editor and conservation journalist. After his death in 2000, this Award was established in his honor.

Christopher Ayoub: The Problematic Relationship Over Intellectual Property Between the United States and the People’s Republic of China

Hunter Conetta: Contemporary European Populism  

Jewels Finley: Contemporary Forms of Discrimination: Race in the United States and Brazil

Sydney Napolitano: The Implications of Essential Medication Shortages

Georgia Rosenberg: Genetically Modified Food: The Quest for Successful Crop Cultivation with a Global Food Crisis on the Horizon

Lynden Steele: Male Bodies as Weapons: Intractable Sexual Violence in South Sudan

Mary Grace Thomas: The Dangers of an Antiquated System: The Modern Rights and Trials of Refugees

Hannah Amendola: Developing Time Management Software Using Several Platforms

Anna Camp: Fabrication of Microfluidic Devices to Investigate Blood Coagulation

Andres Falcon Gimenez: Optimization of Biodiesel Synthesis Through Transesterification of Waste Oils

Ellie Haljun: Ocean Acidification and Its Effect on Coral Growth

Jack Maguire: The Language of Champions: An Analysis of Confidence vs Performance

Clara Pakman: Creating a Video Game to Strengthen Critical Thinking Skills

Carolina Warneryd: Engineering a Sanitation Solution for the Guatemala City Dump

St. Luke’s Cum Laude Society members are seniors whose coursework is at the highest and most rigorous levels; who have shown high levels of achievement in their studies; and whose participation in class reflects enthusiasm for greater depths of learning. An induction ceremony previously took place.

The Community Service Award recognizes a senior whose service to the community outside of St. Luke’s School has been extraordinary. Through volunteer work, the student has developed a passion, made a significant impact on the organization served, and lived out the St. Luke’s motto: Enter to learn, go forth to serve.

The Richard M. Whitcomb Character Award recognizes seniors who show an enduring commitment to qualities associated with good character such as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. The recipients best represent the values and goals espoused by Headmaster Emeritus Richard Whitcomb.   

The Daniel Q. Ireland Award recognizes seniors whose unusually strong commitment and effort have resulted in achievements that have brought pride to the school.

The William K. Von Fabrice Award recognizes seniors, in memory of a co-founder of St. Luke’s, who placed great emphasis on friendship and concern for others. The recipients have demonstrated these qualities throughout their St. Luke’s careers, being loyal friends to both classmates and the school.

The Richard J. Pedrick Award recognizes a senior who exemplifies those qualities that best characterized Dick Pedrick — leadership, dedication, intelligence, athletic participation, good sportsmanship, and love for his or her fellow human being.

The Seldin Family Performing Arts Award recognizes seniors who have demonstrated an ongoing passion for the performing arts. The recipients have shown extraordinary dedication to the performing arts at St. Luke’s School, as exemplified by the Seldin Family, and achieved a level of excellence that makes them true stars.

The Karen E. Wiegman Award recognizes the seniors who have shown the most growth over their years at St. Luke’s School. This growth is marked by social connection, academic discovery, and personal maturation.

The Service Award recognizes a senior whose service to the school or community clearly surpasses what is expected. The recipient is the senior class exemplar of the school’s motto, “Enter to learn, go forth to serve.”

Created in memory of Bill Mahoney, St. Luke’s School trustee, St. Luke’s School parent, and friend to all, this award is given to the graduating seniors who have actively practiced kindness and radiated good cheer. Through frequent acts of kindness and contagiously generous dispositions, the awardees make other people feel good, generate a spirit of inclusion, and inspire others to “pass it on.”

The Senior Bowl recognizes a senior who, in the opinion of the faculty, has consistently received significant academic honors during their St. Luke’s career, while participating enthusiastically in a variety of school activities.

The Senior Loyalty Cup recognizes a senior whose contributions and dedication to St. Luke’s have distinguished him or her as an outstanding leader.

The Headmaster’s Award recognizes two graduating students who have made unique contributions to St. Luke’s in ways that bring great credit to the school.