Gratitude, Appreciation & Understanding
Appreciation has been in the spotlight at Brunswick over this very cold and snowy New England winter. Even with the frigid conditions, Brunswick boys have been warming up to ideas of gratitude and understanding in every corner of the school, from Vermont right down into the classrooms for ’Wick’s youngest on Lake Avenue in Greenwich. Pre Schoolers, in fact, have laid the foundation — boys there have been visualizing and strengthening their fundamental “Pillars” as they ask the question: What Is Character? Older boys in all divisions have been invited to practice the language of The Trust as they reflect on their own academic progress, work to build bridges to the wider community, appreciate the responsibilities of leadership, show care for others, grow their relationship with themselves — and much, much more.
Character & Leadership
Anew capstone course for Upper School seniors has boys exploring passions, principles, partners, and plans — as they also hone communication skills, learn to connect with others, and cultivate a mindset of lifelong learning.
Roadmap For Life is inspired by former Board Chairman Ed Hajim, P ’84, ’86, author of The Island of the Four Ps: A Modern Fable About Preparing for Your Future.
The course is designed to help students begin to consider life plans as they enter college and emphasizes four essential realms of life, including self, family, work, and community. Students also build on the INSIGHTS Discovery program that they completed as juniors, helping them gain deeper self-awareness and understanding of their own uniqueness.
“This course is just another major effort by the school to educate the whole person,” Hajim said in an introductory video. “English, history, physics, chemistry, and sports are all very important, but you are also very, very important.”
Roadmap For Life meets six times in the spring, with an emphasis on preparing for Career Day in April and
Senior Review in May. It serves as the capstone of the Upper School extended curriculum, which includes Freshman Seminar, Sophomore Health, and Character & Ethics for juniors. The class is taught by Jon Kaptcianos, Sarah Burdett, and Courtney Spada in sections of eight to 12 students, with occasional guest lecturers. The class encourages seniors to keep their minds open and their curiosity alive as they transition to college.
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The Brunswick Trust
Character & Leadership
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Fourth grade Student Council Ambassadors have had a busy and fun start to the new year. Ambassadors kicked off their visits and boys have been popping into homerooms throughout the school twice a month. Each visit has focused on one or two Brunswick Trust words, while weaving in the Lower School 2025-26 theme Challenge Accepted.
“Our first visit covered Respect and Responsibility,” teacher Peyton Long said. “The ambassadors led a conversation about what those words mean and how we can be respectful and responsible in our Lower School Cafeteria. At the beginning of the year, fourth graders came together to create Lower School lunchroom manners, and we used this to help kickstart our conversations.”
The second Ambassador visit focused on Teamwork and Grit; boys split homerooms into groups and had their younger schoolmates work together to decide which items would be a priority if they were stranded on a “polar desert” island.
“It was a great time to collaborate and work together as they had to choose three items that each started with the same beginning letter,” Long said.
The third visit focused on Gratitude and Generosity to help start the one-day Soup-er Bowl canned food drive. A more recent Ambassador visit focused on Kindness. Ambassadors led conversations about what it means to be kind, what kindness looks like inside and outside of school, and brainstormed ways to “sprinkle kindness” throughout the building. They also introduced a new Kindness Project that is displayed on the Student Council Board; the project allows boys to write kindness slips to each other and display them throughout the building.
“We want to celebrate all the kindness that is happening at the Lower School!” Long said.
Trust Time at the Pre School is laying the foundation for lifelong learning and conversations about character by asking the question What Is Character? ’Wick’s youngest have been invited to visualize character through the six Pre School pillars that underpin it — including Trustworthiness, Caring, Respect, Fairness, Responsibility, and Citizenship. Readings from Only One You, by Linda Kranz, reinforce the conversations.
“We talk about the strength of the pillars, and we brainstorm ideas to make them stronger,” Brunswick Trust Coordinator Kate Duennebier said. “We work to give them a visual sense of character.”
“Character is something we value so much at Brunswick,” Duennebier said. “And the Pre School is the start of this journey.” Trust Time for grades one through three, meanwhile, has offered lessons around the word Gratitude, with special emphasis on the way Attitude is embedded within the word, as in GrATTITUDE. Duennebier said boys have been asked to build a habit around noticing the good and to be on the lookout for events and information that might qualify for Nice News updates.
“This can be as small as ‘breakfast is waiting for me when I wake up every day,’” Duennebier said. “A shift in focus has so many positive consequences. From relationships, to health, to higher self-esteem.”
The House & Den program at the Middle School is in its second full year, and activities that build connection and prioritize fun, while also developing leadership skills, have been plentiful. A special Middle School Homecoming celebration helped kick things off, while a Family Game Night in February saw Dens play word games and charades — with eighth graders given continued on page 3
The Brunswick Trust
Character & Leadership continued from page 2
the opportunity to serve as Masters of Ceremonies. A Den Duel in November resembled the game show Family Feud, and January saw spirited games of trivia between Houses.
“Houses & Dens have become a major part of the Middle School programming,” Duennebier said. “I love that we are prioritizing community and connection.”
Middle School boys completed a mid-semester reflection exercise designed to dovetail with midpoint comments students received from teachers. Boys were asked to review teacher comments with the goal of considering how these might be affected by their own character strengths and challenges. Students reviewed the Character Continuum with the objective of seeing how their academic strengths might overlap with character strengths.
A total of 21 junior boys selected for the Vermont Leadership Trip visited the Vermont Campus in January, setting the stage for their work leading sophomore group
visits next year. Boys worked through numerous leadership modules to learn about their own unique leadership styles and also discussed leadership qualities they admire. Boys bonded on the trail hikes and during games and shared a meal at SAAP, a Thai restaurant run by a James Beard awarded chef. They also played broomball at the town rink after providing some community service to the Town of Randolph, and cross country skied on Brunswick campus trails.
An Upper School Character & Ethics course for juniors is now in its ninth year.
The required class was launched to help infuse the work of The Brunswick Trust directly into the academic curriculum. It is rooted in classical Ethics courses of the past, but was rebuilt to make it more contemporary and real-world. Goals include having boys self-identify as ethical thinkers and gain selfknowledge in terms of their own decision-making. The course is an opportunity to hash out some of the thorny issues of our time, with the goal of self-awareness and where the boys come out on these issues.
The Brunswick Trust
Diversity & Inclusion
Brunswick celebrated the 100th anniversary of Black History Month in all divisions. At the Pre School, each class held a presentation on influential black figures during Friday assemblies. Michael Jordan, Langston Hughes, Laila Edwards, Garrett Morgan, and Harriet Tubman were among the people studied. Each class used different forms of media to not only convey details about the person’s life, but also find sources of inspiration in their unique journey.
Head Teacher Dani Clarke’s class studied Garrett Morgan, who invented the traffic light and other life changing devices after witnessing a car crash. Students connected to the notion of identifying a problem in their community and devising a way to solve that problem to help people. To build on this, each boy created his own invention to remedy a problem. Their ideas included a machine that builds furniture automatically, one that sews stuffies, and one that cooks broccoli, to name a few.
Pre School classes also learned about Trombone Shorty, with guest reader Cedric Jones, during library time.
At the Lower School, each class completed a quilt project with Head Katie Signer. They also read a book from the I Am series by Brad Meltzer:
• First Grade — Jackie Robinson
• Second Grade — Jesse Owens
• Third Grade — John Lewis
• Fourth Grade — Muhammad Ali
At the Middle School, fifth grade research projects on influential black figures were displayed in each building. An Assembly featured musical composer Scott Joplin, African American hand games, and a tribute to Jesse Jackson.
The Upper School held an assembly featuring Frederick Douglass and black leaders over the years. They examined leadership styles, what made those leaders effective, intellectual and moral courage, and how to apply it to their own leadership journey.
Black History Month was founded because of the lifelong work of scholar Carter G. Woodson; it was first recognized in 1976, the U.S. Bicentennial, by President Gerald Ford.
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Diversity & Inclusion continued from page 4
African drummer Leonard Epps brought the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. to life in visits to the Pre, Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools — inviting Bruins of all ages to the stage for drum circles to feel the rhythm together.
Joshua Greene ’27 opened the Upper School assembly, which featured Epps, other musical guests, and student commentary.
“As we continue to reflect on this year’s theme of unity, we draw inspiration from Dr. King’s words: We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools,” Greene told his classmates.
Epps is a former teacher at Weaver High School in Hartford who now serves as the president of the Brother Carl Hardrick Institute for Violence Prevention and Community Engagement. An accomplished African drummer and cultural educator, Epps asked boys to consider King’s strategy of nonviolence.
“A lot of people think being nonviolent was weak — that it was soft,” Epps said. “But in reality, it took a lot more courage to maintain that control than it does to ‘jump’ and forget everything you’ve got going.
“So for me, Dr. King represented discipline,” Epps explained. “He represented respect, respecting himself, respecting others. He also represented unity. And he also represented maturity.”
Taken together, the words Discipline, Respect, Unity, and Maturity create an acronym for the word DRUM, Epps said.
“I think that is important for us today,” he explained. “That’s why we have the drums — because they represent those values.”
Theo Simon ’28 closed the assembly with a hope for the future.
“As we conclude today’s assembly, let us remember that Dr. King’s dream is not just history — it is alive around us,” Simon said. “The ’Wick community stands as an example of diverse voices united in shared purpose, grounded in our school values of Courage, Honor, and Truth.”
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The Brunswick Trust
The Middle School hosted 3GNY, an educational nonprofit organization founded by grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, for International Holocaust Remembrance Day
3GNY serves as a living link, preserving the legacies and the lessons of the Holocaust. Their mission is to educate communities about the perils of intolerance and to provide a supportive forum for the descendants of survivors.
The Middle School welcomed four speakers, one for each grade; boys listened to their stories and then completed reflections. They were asked what they learned and how courage and standing up for others applied to those stories.
Bad Bunny and the Super Bowl controversy was the subject of a recent meeting of the Hispanic Heritage Club. Students also discussed their favorite Hispanic music and the links between culture, music, and food. Presidents of the club this year are Jordan Chiapetta ’26, John Guza ’26, and Matias DeBono ’26.
Latino students have also been getting together all year for camaraderie and friendship during Focus Group lunches. Juniors and seniors meet once a month, as does a separate group of freshmen and sophomores. Anywhere from two to 14 students attend, and the lunches feature nourishing food and casual conversations, with the goal of drawing students of Hispanic/Latino descent together to get to know each other and support one another. Fernando Uyaguari ’26 is the student-leader of the Latino Focus lunch group.
An Asian/Asian American Focus Group is also drawing students together for lunches and camaraderie. The group meets about five times throughout the school year and typically draws between five and 15 students. Students enjoy food that showcases different Asian cultures, including Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Filipino, and Middle Eastern cuisine. The group is primarily student-led. It is open to all students, with the goal of bringing a voice to the Asian/AsianAmerican students and to those who want to learn about Asian culture and identity.
“We discuss and share different aspects of what is both unique and shared across the cultures of the Asian diaspora and Asian identity,” health officer Will Perkins said. “We also discuss current events. At our most recent lunch, we had a discussion about role models (both Asian and non-Asian), what makes a role model, and their impact.”
About once a year, the group welcomes a visitor. Last year, Brunswick alumnus Eric Lee came to speak about his ’Wick experience and his career as an artist.
Perkins facilitates the lunches and coordinates food along with colleagues Poonam Gupta and Wenyi Che.
An Upper School African-American Focus Group continues to meet monthly for luncheons. The lunches typically draw 15-20 boys, and conversations are broad based, primarily focused on creating and building academic success. Attention is placed on social and communal accountability and responsibility.
“And there are great moments of current affairs, having a safe space to share their unique perspectives,” Rev. Thomas Nins said.
On occasion, alumni will attend to share their thoughts and experiences, both from when they were students and in the “grown-up” world.
A Middle School DEIB lunch was held in February.
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Diversity & Inclusion continued from page 6
Ice Hockey in Harlem visited in February to tour Brunswick, meet players, and watch the varsity Bruins play TrinityPawling. About 20 families from ICIH visited and enjoyed a pizza dinner on King Street.
Lower School Trust Time visits this winter featured the story Little Lizzie and The Holiday Switch by Liz Caeser. Read by Director of Diversity & Inclusion Alecia Thomas, Ed.D., the book tells the story of a little girl who learns about Hanukkah from a friend and then shares her own experiences with Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Three Kings Day.
Third graders enjoyed a special presentation about Kwanzaa . Boys learned about the seven principles of Kwanzaa, including Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (SelfDetermination), Ujima (Collective Work), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). They learned that Kwanzaa originated as an African American tradition but is also inclusive of other cultures in its celebration.
Brunswick students celebrated the Year of the Horse and the colors and traditions of Lunar New Year in February. First graders learned about the Chinese Zodiac, read stories with parent guests, and created their own Lunar New Year ornaments. Lower School Librarian Beth Barsanti shared a story with each grade level, and some third graders created lanterns for display. Barsanti read Friends Are Friends, Forever by Dane Liu, a story about friendship and the Lunar New Year celebration, to first graders.
Middle School students enjoyed a special lunch created by dining staff and learned about the Lunar New Year in an announcement during Monday Morning Meeting.
At the Upper School, students paraded a colorful dragon through the halls and decorated the dining hall with lanterns
and calligraphy. Students also transformed the cafeteria with beautiful Chinese lanterns, posters of their calligraphy, and traditional couplets, creating a festive and meaningful atmosphere for everyone to enjoy a delicious Asian-inspired lunch with dumplings, sushi, and of course, fortune cookies.
“Our students brought the celebration to life with an amazing dragon dance, filling the halls with energy, color, and joy,” Computer Science teacher Wenyi Che said. “It was a wonderful way to learn about and appreciate Chinese culture together.”
RECOMMENDED
Books from the Ordinary People Change the World series by Brad Melzer, including: I Am Oprah Winfrey
I Am Jackie Robinson
I Am Jesse Owens
I Am John Lewis
I Am Muhammad Ali
Friends Are Friends, Forever by Dane Liu
The Night Before Lunar New Year by Natasha Wing
Little Lizzie and The Holiday Switch by Liz Caeser
The Brunswick Trust
Health & Wellness
Gambling prevention was the subject of an extensive program for Upper School boys. Wellness Wins: Understanding the Connection Between Gambling/ Betting and Mental Health was led by John Tessitore, founder of the nonprofit JCK Foundation, and Monique Tricarico, a mental health counselor and a coordinator for an underage gambling prevention group. The two began the day in a small group discussion with a select group of students, including Health & Wellness Ambassadors and Peer Leaders.
An all-school assembly in Baker Theater followed, and the two visitors then sat for a lunch gathering featuring more discussion with faculty members as well as varsity captains and members of the Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse club.
In the afternoon, boys were invited to drop in to small group workshops in the Health & Wellness Lounge. A presentation for parents was offered in the evening.
The JCK Foundation was founded in memory of John Cleaver Kelly, Tessitore’s dear friend and mentor whose life was dedicated to supporting others. According to the Foundation website, Kelly lost his battle to depression and OCD when he was 24.
This first-of-its-kind program for Upper Schoolers grew out of a webinar that Dean of Student Life Jon Kaptcianos participated in last summer.
Online gambling, including sports betting, has grown significantly in recent years.
“We know gambling is accessible,” Kaptcianos said. “We hope this program has a lasting impact.”
Health & Wellness Ambassador John Petrotos ’26 visited the Pre School to speak to ’Wick’s youngest about his volunteer work as an EMT with the Greenwich Emergency Management Explorer Post. His message was safety and basic first aid.
“He spoke so eloquently and proudly,” Pre School Nurse Sue Costello said. “The boys were enamored as he shared how all his years at Brunswick prepared him for the experience. John decided to join GEMS as he wanted to give back to his community. John touched on many of the pillars of Brunswick and how they shaped him to care for others.”
In December, Petrotos was joined by Neel Behringer ’26 to give a talk at the Upper Middle School on mental fitness tools, including tips for breathing exercises, meditation, and getting out in nature to help reduce anxiety.
The Brunswick Trust
Health & Wellness
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The H&W ambassador program was started last year. This year, ninth and 10th graders were invited to apply to be ambassadors to bring their own unique messages of health and wellness to their younger schoolmates.
About 40 sixth graders opted to attend a first-ever Build a Best Breakfast workshop. Boys learned about performance nutrition and how to create a breakfast plate that supports growing bodies through their busy days of learning and sports.
“Optimal fueling doesn’t need to be complicated,” Brunswick nutritionist Gianna Masi said. “Our hope was to showcase how foods can be paired together to make what’s called a ‘performance plate.’”
Boys were encouraged to think about foods they frequently eat. If there’s something missing, like protein, could they add that to their current breakfast even if it’s on-the-go? Breakfast is important, Masi noted, because it “turns the brain and body on.”
“After sleeping all night, our body needs fuel,” she said. “Breakfast helps improve focus and learning.”
Masi said a complete breakfast has three parts, including protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Color in fruits and vegetables and calcium for strong bones add bonus nutrients. Masi said to start small.
“If you’re not used to eating breakfast, our bodies can adapt,” she advised. “Start with eating a small snack and work your way up to a full breakfast. Breakfast doesn’t have to be a big sit-down meal if time doesn’t allow for it!”
Another breakfast workshop is planned for April.
Middle School boys have been offered study tools for exams through Upstream, a Colorado non-profit that shares a curriculum of actionable, bite-sized tools for student wellbeing. Tools are taught in 10-minute lessons in advisory. Meanwhile, all Pre, Lower, and Middle School boys continue to practice the “small yet poignant” health and wellness tools provided through Upstream.
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Common Sense Media Report January 2026: Betting On Boys: Understanding Gambling Among Adolescent Boys (PDF)
On Our Minds (Podcast) by PBS Student Reporting Labs
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Hold Me Back (Podcast)
Hold Me Back is a thoughtful debate-based talk show hosted by father-son duo Ash and Aiden ElDifrawi. The show includes honest conversations about many issues relevant to tweens and teens — grades, social media, sports, swearing and more. Tween and teen mental health challenges, particularly around anxiety and depression, are recurring themes throughout the show. Positive messages include character development, goal setting, and growth mindset. Open discussions between the father and son hosts can help spark important discussion between parents and kids listening together.
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Medical School for Kids by Brandon Pham M.D. and Betty Nguyen, M.D.
This children’s book series provides a charming, easy-to-understand introduction to the wonders of the medical field.
The Brunswick Trust
Service & Sustainability
Helping senior citizens stay safe online has been the focus of a new effort by students in the Cybersecurity Club this winter. Led by Sami Muhtadie ’27 and Peter Saunders ’27, the club has been working with Courtney Spada, director of schoolwide community service and sustainability, to establish and coordinate cybersecurity workshops for senior citizen homes in the area. Boys have already visited Benchmark at Stamford and plan to visit two other senior homes soon.
The main focus has been basic but important — helping senior citizens spot phishing emails, keep passwords secure, and avoid common scams.
“This effort is still early in the early stages, but it’s picking up steam,” club advisor Sunil Gupta said. “The kids are excited about it and want to build it out further.”
Seventh-Grade Community Service Day dovetailed with field trips to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in February, resulting in a two-day extravaganza of back-to-back trips that saw over 80 boys traveling to seven different locations for service, in addition to visiting the museum.
The service trips saw boys bring joy to more than 150 children in the community, pack 250 snack bags for Filling in the Blanks, paint structures, create enrichment toys, give love and care to numerous pets at Happy Life Animal Rescue, and process 900 packages of rice and beans for Neighbor to Neighbor.
They also expanded their cultural landscape and deepened their understanding of history at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through engaging and thought-provoking activities.
“I cannot say enough about the professionalism, diligence, and positivity from teachers and students during these trips,”
Class Dean Logan Stamey said. “This became a memorable and truly positive experience for everyone involved.”
Freshman boys teamed up with the Salvation Army and their counterparts at Sacred Heart at the holidays to write letters of encouragement to vulnerable children in Utah. The letters served as the first installment of a new Service Learning curriculum that has been added to Freshman Seminar, a required course now in its ninth year that seeks to meet the developmental needs of freshmen as they enter Upper School.
“Boys wrote moving, profound notes,” Spada said. “They included something they learned or something someone told them. It was special and a nice moment of connection for a community so far away.”
Middle School boys and families responded in a big way, turning out in force to move the boxes to safety.
“They needed to urgently move those boxes!” Spada said. “The boys had the best time and will be honored in the spring.”
Greenwich Historical Society board member Melinda Carroll, mom of two Brunswick boys, helped organize the day.
Argun Kolluri ’27 and Christopher Martinelli ’26 both volunteered at The Den for Grieving Kids at Family Centers this winter. The two helped greet families and children; Kolluri has run Upper School drives to support The Den.
“It was a really special moment for them to connect and help,” Spada said.
A building at the Greenwich Historical Society was damaged in a storm this winter, producing a roof leak that threatened over 300 boxes of historical garments — Pre, Lower, and continued on page 11
The Brunswick Trust
Service & Sustainability continued from page 10
Brunswick once again responded to needs in the community with Holiday Drives in every division in support of organizations that support people and families in Fairfield County and beyond. Groups supported included Inspirica, the Don Bosco Community Center, Jewish Family Services, and Family Centers.
“This is such an important thing that Brunswick does,” Spada said. “It makes such a difference. All these places are doing such important work to help people.”
The Lower School Student Council, in particular, showed its exceptional generosity as it once again worked to support third through fifth grade students at Public School 55 in the Bronx through Operation Santa 2 .
Student Council members packed up 50 bags of necessities and gifts, all delivered before the holidays. Lower School Advisor Brett Martell said Brunswick has been supporting Operation Santa 2 for about 10 years.
“The reality is that these kids don’t get gifts during the holiday season,” he said.
“The project is great because it’s a well oiled machine at this point, with the ease of a wish list on Amazon.”
Students bring gifts and put them under the tree in the Atrium. On packing day, tables are brought in and everything is organized by type and distributed into drawstring bags.
Alexis Sweet, mom of Nate and Ben, serves as the point person for Brunswick.
“She’s fantastic,” he said. “She gets how it needs to work. She’s our Santa.”
Martell said Brunswick easily meets its goal to pack 50 bags each holiday season and often provides additional items to support classroom teachers.
Pre School students got the chance to meet Rico Cosby this winter thanks to a special age-appropriate assembly. Rico Cosby is, of course, the retired landmine sniffing Belgian
Malinois dog whose training with the Marshall Legacy Institute CHAMPS group was sponsored by Brunswick.
Pre Schoolers once again got their groove on to benefit the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center as Brunswick joined forces with the HuskyTHON program at the University of Connecticut. HuskyTHON raises funds and awareness for children’s health and well-being, and UConn students and cheerleaders brought their dance-a-thon moves to the Pre School gym.
“They got to dance, which they loved,” Spada said. “They learned even at a young age, they can make an impact.”
Fifth graders packed up about 700 pounds of rice and beans for Neighbor to Neighbor in February in a community service project launched this year by science teacher Krista Taylor.
“We have done two packing events so far this year and hope to do one more in the spring,” she said.
Taylor said the goal is to get every fifth grade student involved in community service. Each packing event sees students pack about 700-800 pounds of rice and beans into one-pound bags, to be distributed to nearby families in need.
“We set up assembly lines and pack for 40 minutes in each of my science classes,” Taylor said. “We talk briefly about food insecurity and how this food can help families.”
Fifth graders also took part in The “Soup”er Bowl this year, collecting about 650 cans of non-perishables for Neighbor-to-Neighbor.
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The Huge Impact of Environmental Neuroscience: Effective Ways to Grow — Raising Good Humans with Dr. Aliza (Podcast)
