A Fall Reflection
By: Sarah McAdam ’26
As we start to inch closer to winter, let’s take some time to look back on the 2025 fall season at Holderness
We kicked things off in September with tennyball nights and the annual Ragnar Race. We cheered on runners who traded sleep for miles to support various causes It was a fantastic way to start the new year as we filled our campus with energy and enthusiasm.
An academic highlight came during our All-School Summer Read assembly. After spending the summer reading “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” we had the opportunity to hear from Dr Jastrebsky, who shared her knowledge about cephalopods with us. She connected Remarkably Bright Creatures to real life and reminded us about how extraordinary human-animal connection can be (and maybe also hug a cephalopod if given the chance).
There was no better way to appreciate our outdoors than spending time at outdoor chapel Starting the chapel season off strong was our Top 4's talk about starting the Holderness theme of “buying in”, a message that’s been echoed across campus, whether it’s drove dodgeball, joining a new club, or sitting with someone new at lunch
Mr Flynn also shared his words with the community, as he emphasized the importance of being more than just the sport you play. That really hit home for a lot of us. Whether we ’ re athletes, artists, scholars, or somewhere in between, it’s easy to let one part of our identity take over But he reminded us that growth happens when we buy into all aspects of our community, not just our teams or talents.
And just when the routine of the fall started to feel busy and chaotic, Head’s Day arrived
On the morning of Mr Ford’s 70th birthday (October 7th), and we all headed to breakfast with no idea what would happen next. When Fordo and Lydia Watts 28' rang the bell, it was a genuine Head’s Day surprise, and sometimes the best moments on campus are the ones that surprise us
As we start to wrap up this fall season and start to look ahead to Proctor Day and winter schedule, let’s remember what makes this place feel like home: Keep saying hi on the paths, even if you don’t know someone, put our phones away in Weld, and continue to buy in, together
Bulls on the Field
Boys Varsity Soccer Win Over New Hampton
By: Leo Shepard ’27 & Thomas Kehler ’27
Early into their season, the Holderness Boys Varsity Soccer team secured a brilliant victory over one of their rivals, New Hampton. With a tight score of 1-0, the game-deciding goal was scored by Sam Martin ‘26 in the 55th minute of the game and Miles Donahue, ’27, played a key role in the play leading to Sam’s goal, with a great throw-in and an essential pass that ultimately led to the goal There were numerous big saves from Adrian Lupien ’27, and key defensive wins by Beckett Lehr ’27 and Sam McDonnell ’26. In the 83rd minute, Ben Agrodnia ’27 had a vital goal-line clearance that put the Bulls in the lead Toni Riedl ’29 had consistent dominance and hard work in the midfield, which led to many offensive chances for the Bulls. Hudson Jattne ’27 had brilliant composure on the ball and reinforced the Bulls' persistent attack. Team captain John Small ’26 shared what he said to motivate the team before kickoff He said, “If we want a chance at the postseason this year, this is a must-win game. We are the better team, and the first time we played them, we deserved this win.” When asked about how big a win this was, Vilius Ramanauskas ’26, said, “It was a great win, proud of the guys We worked really hard and came out with the dub. Now we ’ re motivated to make a playoff push.” Ben Agrodnia ’27 stated, “The victory was huge moving forward and gives us a better chance for the race to the The Bulls earned this pivotal victory and it could define their season They moved up to the fourth seed in the Lakes Region standings, passing New Hampton in the rankings and moving one step closer to their goal of making the playoffs. postseason and really lifted our spirits.
Drove Scoreboard
Points
1. Blue Out: 1650
2. Black out: 1575
3. Jerseys: 1405
4. White Out: 1375
5. USA: 825
6. Tropical: 525
Black out
Blue Out
Jack Welby ‘26 doing marshmallow toss at assembly
Jerseys
Connell girls winning both their dodgeball games vs Hinman & day girls
Top Fall Current Events
By: Charlotte Hoffman ’27 & the Current Events Club
Jimmy Kimmel’s Suspension: After remarks on Charlie Kirk’s killing, Jimmy Kimmel's show was indefinitely pulled from the air by ABC. In his monologue on September 15, Kimmel had said that the “MAGA gang ” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” and of trying to “ score political points from it ” The show was suspended for nearly a week, but ended up returning to television Upon the return, Kimmel emphasized that he never meant to “make light of the murder of a young man. ”
State of External Commotion in Venezuela:
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro signed a decree granting himself expanded security powers and giving the military authority over public services and the oil industry in case of a military intervention. It was signed following the deployment of a US fleet of warships in the Caribbean. The US stated that the deployment was to combat drug trafficking, but Maduro’s government alleges that it is a pretext for potential intervention This is not the first time Maduro has granted himself emergency powers, one of the most notable times being in 2015, which was also met with criticism.
Israel and Hamas Ceasefire
: Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of President Trump’s ceasefire plan, where all Israeli hostages will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners, Israeli troops will pull back, and humanitarian aid will enter Gaza. This news is a huge deal for Israelis and Palestinians after the war has been going on for two years. As of right now, part of the Israeli military has been pulled back, hostages have been exchanged, and humanitarian aid has entered Gaza
Government Shutdown:
On October 1, the government shut down after both Democratic and Republican proposals that would have funded the government failed in the Senate. The government ran out of money after a Democrat-backed spending bill failed The bill would have extended health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act and reversed cuts to Medicaid The other bill that failed was the GOP-backed stopgap funding measure that would fund the government for seven weeks. During the shutdown, as many as 4 million federal employees have been going without pay. Hundreds of thousands of essential workers have been continuing to work without pay. The IRS is planning to furlough nearly half of its staff, and the CDC initially issued layoff notices to over 1,300 workers. The shutdown will end once Congress passes appropriations or a continuing resolution that the president signs. Both parties are currently stuck on key issues, so there's no clear timeline for resolution.
Holdy Hot Takes
“Sleep-ins are overrated.”
-Brooklyn Barnhorst ’27
“Allow wheels after dark.” -Lydia Watts ’28
“Why is everything a competition?” -Anonymous
“Everyone having intervis every night takes away a major senior privilege.” -Anonymous
“It’s hard to see the digital clocks.”
-Sylvie Bangasimbo ’26
“The jobs around campus are not that bad, they're a commitment like anything else.”
-Anonymous
“Sit down table setter has the most power in the school.” -Chase Dowal ’28
“Blue jeans should be dress code ” -Kat Bensley ’26
“Boom boom sauce is overrated.” -Anonymous
“I think more girls should wear suits at sit down.” -Anonymous
“Fry day is not it.”
-Max Stewart ’27
Teacher Spotlight With Mr. Bonauto
By: Maeve Rhatigan ’26
New to the Holderness community this year, Mr. Bonauto brings both energy and adventure to campus. He graduated from Bowdoin College last spring, where he majored in both physics and comparative government Originally from Seattle, Bonauto had been working his way home on a cross country road trip with his friend when he got the call from Mr. Graham. At the time he was in Denver, planning on going home then coming back to the East Coast to find a job in the Boston area He wasn’t planning on taking the traditional route back to the East Coast Instead, he decided he was going to bike.
Starting from the western coast of Seattle, Mr. Bonauto biked 3100 miles all the way to Boston Throughout his 29 day journey, he biked an average of 107 miles per day, carrying all of his gear He traveled through a variety of scenery from dirt paths through the hills, to gnome filled villages and long stretches of road, experiencing a variety of weather, the scariest being a severe thunderstorm over the plains His route took him through Mount Rainer, Canada, Niagara Falls, and across the Idaho Lolo Pass Crossing, a high mountain pass on the border of Idaho and Montana that is part of the historic Lolo Trail
The coolest person he met was a dad in Richland Washington who gave him some food and company for some time while his flat was getting repaired. Lastly he met another cross country biker going west from New York who also happened to be a physics PhD student! He saw everything from songbirds and porcupines to (unfortunately) lots of roadkill. His worst experience involved illegal camping, a white pickup, a gun and the Department of Natural Resources. Intrigued about his adventures?? Ask him about it in Davis 116.
A Look Into Our New Phone Policy
By:
Hazel Nickerson ’29, Arianna Thurston ’29 & Katelyn Hadzima ’28
The new school year has just started, and with it comes new faces, new classes, and most notably, a new phone policy According to our student handbook, we “cherish the rich, face-toface connections that strengthen our community.” Holderness hopes to foster a genuine connection between students and faculty as we strive to build a strong community.
So what are the changes that were made? There have been new phone boxes implemented in Weld, phone hangers in classrooms, and a ‘ no phone policy’ on the path as an attempt to look aroundy, say hi, and acknowledge one another. The review from teachers has been overwhelmingly positive, but what does the student body think?
After conducting a survey, we learned that 32.8% of students find the new policy unhelpful while 67.4% find it helpful. 56.9% of students follow each rule while 43.1% admit they don’t always Some of the most popular requested changes include getting rid of the classroom phone sleeves and allowing headphones and phone calls on the paths; the most popular change was allowing phones in Weld.
Halloween Costumes
#1
Sheppe Surfs Up
#2 #3
Day Girls
Alice in Wonderland
Behind the Curtain: A Preview of “Four Exes and a Groom”
By: Maddy Mahmouzian ’26
The countdown to opening night has begun! Here’s what our theater director, Ms. Devine, shared about this year ’ s fall play, “Four Exes and a Groom ”
Q: Howwould you describethecentral messageorthethemeofthe play?
A: It's about family But the theme is about forgiveness and friendships, and figuring out who you are in a relationship, and what makes the relationship work.
Q: What has impressed you most about thecast and crew?
A: I’m working with some new students, seeing the less experienced actors rising to the level of those who are more experienced.
Q: Aretherescenesthatthe audience might not notice but should appreciate?
A: Because it's a farce, there are a lot of entrances and exits, so people are moving around.
Q: What has beenthe biggest challenge sofar?
A: Trying to have a rehearsal with everyone, and having the balance with sports, academics, and job crews.
Q: Doyou have any additionalthoughts?
A: I did this play several years ago, and Ms. Dahl’s son, Hayden Dahl, was in it, and then Mabel Casey said, “You should redo this.” It was an excellent show.
Performances on November 14 & 15 th th
The Editors’ Top 5 Modern Family Episodes
1. “Aunt Mommy” Season 3, Episode 15
2.“Connection Lost” Season 6, Episode 16
3.“The Alliance” Season 8, Episode 8
4.“Five Minutes” Season 8, Episode 18
5.“Lake Life” Season 9, Episode 1
Bulls in Boston: Taking AHOW Outside the Classroom
By Tristan Gerasin ’27 and Noah Kassels ’27
This fall, students from AHOW 1 and AHOW 2 took their learning beyond the classroom with a trip to Boston to see the touring cast of Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton at the Citizens Opera House. The energy in the theater was electric. The lights, the music, and the emotion on stage pulled everyone in, creating an atmosphere that made the American Revolution feel real and immediate When Alexander Hamilton opened the show with his first song it felt like the pages of our history books had come alive and it was thrilling to see the story we had been learning about come to life in person. Experiences like this remind us why it’s important to step outside the classroom. Seeing history performed live adds depth and emotion that you can’t always get from lectures or readings
Howmanystudentspreferdressdownon
Wednesdayvs.Saturday
Culture Highlight: The Mid-Autumn Festival-A Celebration of Reunion
October 6, Mid-Autumn Festival, is one of China's most traditional festivals. On the day of the full moon, families gather under the moon to eat mooncakes, gaze at the moon, and chat with relatives we haven't seen in a while This year marks the third year I haven't been able to celebrate the MidAutumn Festival with my family. We still see the same moon, but the feeling of being apart is completely different But the meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival is that, despite the distance, the love between me and my family remains strong. To further understand the significance of this festival for me and my family, I interviewed my parents. My mother said, "Every time we're together, we miss you so much. I remember when you were little, your father would set up a small table in the yard,
By: Shelly Tang ’27
and we'd sit around it with Grandpa, Grandma, and your brother, eating mooncakes and gazing at the moon." Dad added with a smile, "I remember when you were little, if you couldn't see the full moon, you would always sit on the rocks in the yard and refuse to go back to bed You and your brother would lie on the ground together, stubbornly staring at the sky " For me, celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival in a foreign country means sharing mooncakes with friends from my homeland and gazing at the same moon with my family
PicturewhenIwas5,myfamilyandIcelebratingtheMid-Autumnfestival!
A Look Into the New Phone Policy
Contiuned from page 6
Some students express annoyance because they often accidentally leave their phones in their sleeves after class, and one even missed their job crew because they couldn’t check their phone.
Overall, opinions across the student body are mixed 42% of students think there is no need for revisions “I like the new phone policy,” said Margret Owens ‘28. Even if not everyone is a fan, the feedback received suggests that these changes have had positive effects throughout our campus
Students state they are “ more aware of their surroundings,” “ more talkative”, and are “less distracted.”
In the end, the Holderness community seems divided. Some students appreciate the policy for helping them stay focused, while others find it frustrating and disorganized Whether loved or loathed, one thing’s for sure: the new phone policy has gotten everyone talking and not just through their screens
OrlaShillingford
m a i l u s
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Edited by:
Orla Shillingford, Sarah McAdam, Mr. Kwasnik, & Ms. Bourelle
All photos by: Max Paro & Mr. Kwasnik
We sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this first edition of the 2025-2026 Picador. Huge thanks to all of our staff who put tremendous time and effort into making this edition possible. And special thanks to Mr. Kwasnik and Ms. Bourelle for their help!
SarahMcAdam