Endowed Prizes

Established by Barry ’58, Andrew ’62 and Deborah Berkman in memory of their grandmother, Anna S. Barrasch. The prize is awarded to a Sixth Form student “for his or her unselfish interest in people and loyalty.” These same qualities were trademarks of Mrs. Barrasch.

This fund was established by Dwight “Bill” Baum, an alumnus from the Class of 1932. Mr. Baum graduated from Cornell University with a degree in electrical engineering followed by an MBA from Harvard. Throughout his career as an investment banker, Mr. Baum always treasured the education he received from the study of the physical sciences in his high school years. As a philanthropist, one of his goals was to introduce young students to serious, scientific investigation and to impart the sense of excitement that can come with such pursuits. The science award in his name is presented to the student, who in the opinion of the science faculty, best demonstrates excellence in the study of the field of chemistry.

Established at the time of Frank Beattie’s retirement from Berkshire School after 40 years as a teacher of music and varsity track coach. The trophy is presented to the male athlete in the Fifth Form “who best exemplifies sportsmanship and proficiency in interscholastic athletics.” In 1994, the trophy was permanently endowed with a gift from Hans Carstensen '66.

Established in memory of Peg Beattie, following her death in 1965. Peg married Frank Beattie in 1927 and was a beloved member of the Berkshire community. For 40 years she participated in the life of the School, taking particular pleasure in helping students develop their talents in painting and drawing. The prize is awarded each year to the school’s outstanding art student. In 1994, the prize was permanently endowed with a gift from Hans Carstensen ’66.

Established in honor of Dr. Richard T. Beebe ’20 by the Trustees of Berkshire School upon the occasion of Dr. Beebe’s selection as the School’s Distinguished Alumnus. Dr. Beebe was recognized for his 60-year career as a practicing physician and his status as Senior Physician with the Albany Medical College. The award in his name is presented annually to the school’s outstanding student who is studying physics.

The Chaplain’s Cup is engraved with “Esse Quam Videri” and is awarded to that Sixth Former who exemplifies the motto “to be rather than to seem to be.” The continuation of this award was made possible through the generosity of Herbert Davison, the 1934 recipient.

Established through the estate of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Chase, faculty members at Berkshire from 1937 to 1973. An award is presented to a member of the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Form and recognizes students “who best exemplify the ideals of a good citizen in the school community and who, by their contributions, improve the quality of our common life and demonstrate their pride in Berkshire School.”

Established at the time of Mr. Chase’s retirement from Berkshire School by Charles Tyler ’64, fellow alumni and friends. During his 35 years as an English teacher (1937-1973), Mr. Chase inspired in his students a lasting appreciation for literature. His special love was poetry. A collection of his own work, Steam from the Sap House, was published in 1990. An annual prize is awarded to “the Berkshire student who authors the best poem.”

Established at the time of Jeannette Cooper's retirement from Berkshire. During her sixteen years at the school, Mrs. Cooper served in a number of capacities ranging from Dean of Students to Director of Athletics. She also coached several athletic teams and was especially instrumental in building the school's field hockey program. The prize is awarded to a woman in the fifth form who has contributed most to the life of the school through leadership and good citizenship while maintaining high scholastic standards.

Established by faculty members Tom and Cynthia Dixon in memory of their former student and close friend, P. L. Anderson ’65. Income from this endowment provides a $2,000 cash award to “a Berkshire Sixth Former who best exemplifies the qualities of excellence in integrity and academic scholarship.”

The DeChellis Endowment for AMSR & AI was established by Trustee Anthony DeChellis P’15,’17, within the Berkshire School Endowment for AMSR and AI, created to support innovative Advanced Math/Science Research (AMSR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) education.

Established by the Board of Trustees to honor Mr. Eipper, a teacher at Berkshire from 1910 to 1962, chairman of the Math Department and founder of the school’s Cum Laude chapter. The award was endowed in 1996 by C. Twiggs Myers H'57.

This prize was established in honor of James A.D. Geier '44C by his classmates, family and friends and is presented to an outstanding student of computer science. Mr. Geier, named Berkshire School's 1994 Distinguished Alumnus, was a member of a prominent Berkshire School family and was known for his civic leadership as well as his business acumen. In his remembrance of Mr. Geier, classmate and friend Tom Wolf '44C wrote, "Jim Geier was a friend for all ages; one we will always miss and never forget."

Established by the Kendrick family (Charles, Suzanne and Catherine ’96) in recognition of “a Fourth Form student for curiosity, diligence and achievement in the study of American government.” The prize is named for Bill Gulotta, former History Department chair and instructor of American Government, in recognition of his commitment to young people. The prize pays tribute to Mr. Gulotta who, through his skill and zeal in the classroom, as well as his sense of humor, provocatively engaged the minds of his students, inspiring them to question, think and grow.

This endowment was established by Dr. and Mrs. Neal P. Cutler, parents of Alex Cutler '99, to honor W. Ross Hawkins' distinguished career at Berkshire and to thank him in a tangible way for the role he plays in nurturing students as a teacher, coach and advisor. Ross embodies all the elements that comprise both a wonderful teacher and a dependable mentor, and understands the power of truly befriending a student. The endowment will fund a prize in perpetuity, which will be given at Prize Night to a student whose work in modern world history has been superlative.

Established in memory of Mrs. Kreh to recognize her distinguished career as the School’s Assistant Treasurer. An award is given annually to a young woman in the Fifth Form who, “by virtue of her integrity, persistence and industriousness toward her studies best exemplifies the loyalty and proud work ethic demonstrated by this special woman during her 28 years of service to Berkshire.”

Established by friend and faculty colleague, C. Twiggs Myers H'57, and Mrs. Mansell’s son, Parker Eldridge. In her “retirement” (while living in nearby Stephentown, NY), Madame Mansell taught French at Berkshire from 1976 to 1982. Prior to that she was an instructor for many years at Rye Country Day School in Rye, NY. Madame never took for granted the beautiful surroundings of the Berkshire hills. In turn, this award is presented annually to “that student whose participation in the Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program demonstrates a reverence for life and a love and concern for the environment.”

This prize honors a man who Tom Chaffee, a legend at Berkshire in his own right, called the greatest writer he ever taught. Bill Matthews went on to earn degrees at Yale and UNC-Chapel Hill, and built a distinguished career teaching English. He was also a prolific poet, producing eleven collections of verse and winning the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1996 and the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize in 1997, shortly before his death. His mother, Mary E. Matthews, has established this endowment to fund a prize in perpetuity which will recognize the literary talent that continues to flow under the mountain, and which will honor Bill's life, his spirit, and the school which meant so much to him. The award recipient will be the school's best overall writer in both prose and poetry.

Established by Myrtle Ann Mazzaferro, Berkshire’s former registrar (1986-1996) and a friend of Twiggs Myers. The prize is awarded to the school’s top student in American History and recognizes former history department chairman, Civil War scholar and Senior Master Twiggs Myers who, for 42 years, brought his enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, American History to the Berkshire classroom.

Established by colleagues and friends at the Berkshire Eagle to promote an interest in the field of journalism and to recognize Mr. O’Connor’s longstanding career as a respected newspaper reporter. The prize is awarded to “that Berkshire student with the Green and Gray whose writing skills, integrity and industriousness set the standard for excellence in secondary school journalism.”

One of the School’s oldest prizes. The Cup is awarded for diligence in studies and success in co-curricular activities. The prize was endowed in 1996 by C. Twiggs Myers H '57, himself a graduate of Princeton.

The Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize seeks to introduce students to the essentials of writing a business plan; provide a real-world platform to practice public speaking and presenting; promote the entrepreneurial spirit; stimulate creativity and critical thinking as it applies to the area of sustainable living; and reward effective collaboration in the construction and promotion of a coherent and sustainable business plan. The Prize will be supported in perpetuity by The Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize Endowment, created in 2018 with the generous support of the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation to educate and expose Berkshire students enrolled in Advanced Economics to entrepreneurship and sustainability.

Established in memory of Lance Turner '84 by family, classmates and friends. Annually, this prize is awarded to a Third- Form student who writes the best critical essay.

Established by an anonymous donor to recognize Richard P. Unsworth’s role in establishing Chinese as an important part of the school’s curriculum during his tenure as Head of School. The prize is awarded to the student in Chinese “who demonstrates the greatest proficiency in the study of the Chinese language and culture.”

Established by Rowan Wakefield ’38 and Richard Wakefield ’40 and family in honor of their father Ernest Wakefield. The fund recognizes Mr. Wakefield’s 27 years as a teacher of math at Berkshire (1913-1940) and his deep admiration for music. Income from this fund is used to award an annual prize to “a Berkshire student for distinguished work in music theory or for a particular individual performance."

This prize is awarded in the memory of Joan Williams to the sophomore student who has demonstrated excellence in all aspects of Fourth-Form English.

Established in 2018 by the Xu/Li family, the Xu/Li Endowment for Berkshire School is an independent and unrestricted endowed account and related pool to support Berkshire’s students and faculty in perpetuity.