The Williams School marked the beginning of its 135th academic year with its annual Convocation ceremony on September 2, welcoming new and returning students, faculty, staff, and families to campus.
This year’s Convocation centered on the theme of “growth,” a concept explored by Head of School Mark Fader and two faculty speakers, dance teacher Bo Parish and history teacher Will Martin.
In his remarks, Fader reflected on the ways growth is taking shape at Williams—through its people, programs, and places. He emphasized the school’s commitment to continuous improvement and encouraged students to approach the year with an open mind and a growth mindset.
Parish, the school’s longest-serving faculty member, began her address by asking the audience to reflect on their personal journeys. She invited students to consider how their perspectives might evolve during their time at Williams. Sharing a story from NPR’s StoryCorps about Joseph Bond—a man who left high school, served in the Marines, and later earned his diploma at age seventy-two—Parish drew a connection to the Convocation theme.
“We’re planting the seed,” she said. “As the year unfolds, what will be the water, the sunshine, and the growth? What will we take from it? How will our perspectives change?”
Martin followed with a speech focused on the role of failure in personal development. He reassured students that failure is not only inevitable but also essential to growth.
“Failure is essential and inescapable,” Martin said. “The more you fail, the more you learn, and the better equipped you are to handle failure next time.” He concluded by urging students to embrace challenges: “Use failure as an opportunity to gain resilience and perspective, and you will be rewarded.”
As part of the Convocation tradition, the school officially welcomed the Class of 2026 as the senior class. Several awards were presented to honor academic achievement and student leadership.
The Bruce Lane Bulkeley School Prize was awarded to juniors Zara Asim ’26 and Connor Gingras ’26 for their exceptional essays on notable alums of the former Bulkeley School for Boys—Harold Arkava and Myron Hendel. The prize, established in honor of the historic New London institution founded in 1873, encourages students to contribute to a growing archive of school history through research and writing.
Describing the winning essays as “superior in every form,” the selection committee praised the students for their clear writing, thorough research, and use of primary sources and interviews.
Director of Upper School Teaching and Learning Chelsea Rallis presented the annual Book Awards, recognizing seniors who have demonstrated exceptional character and academic engagement.
“The Book Awards acknowledge the intellectual passion and compassion of our students to the Williams community and the community at large,” Rallis said.
This year’s recipients are:
- Prize for Intellectual Curiosity: Calvin LaFrance ’26
- Intellectual Envoy Award: Jay Lui ’26
- Global Scholar Award: Zara Asim ’26
- Heart of the Community Award: Jadiel Thomas ’26
- Leadership Award: Connor Gingras ’26
- Courageous Explorer Award: Claire McGuinness ’26
As the ceremony came to a close, students, faculty, and families departed with a sense of excitement and optimism for the year ahead.
