Posters around Bulfinch Hall advertised the various prizes in English.
At the start of spring term every year, departments across the school are notified by the Dean of Studies office to begin the selection process for academic awards. Each department has their own separate process where they review a student’s relevant performance. The awards serve as an occasion to offer recognition to a student’s efforts. The term culminates with an awards ceremony to recognize students’ excellence and commitment in a particular subject.
Robert Lazar, Theater & Dance Department Chair, offers insight into his department’s approach.
“Our selection is largely contingent on participation in the department – this can intersect in many ways with many different faculty members, all of which have input in the selection process. I imagine that ours is unique in that to earn the award, you must be involved with the department throughout your Andover career – not just your senior year,” wrote Lazar in an email to The Phillipian.
In an email to The Phillipian, Hector Membreno-Canales, Chair of the Art Department, describes how the art department focuses on a collaborative and reflective selection process for its awards. During this process, faculty members convene to identify candidates, which is limited to graduating seniors.
“Candidates are identified by Art Department faculty through a collective discussion during the Spring term. All nominees are graduating seniors whose work and growth faculty have observed directly over the course of their time at the Academy. We review students’ midterm and end of term comments, final grades, and discuss a student’s growth, commitment, and quality of their portfolio,” wrote Membreno-Canales in an email to The Phillipian.
Leon Calleja, English Department Chair, discussed how the English department’s process differs from others by incorporating a submission-based model. Rather than relying on faculty nomination, all students are given the option to apply, with entries evaluated anonymously to ensure impartiality.
“We advertise the prizes at the start of each spring term in classrooms and hallways in our department and around the school, PANet, and encourage all teachers to let their classes know or post them as announcements on Canvas. Prizes are open to all students subject only to the criteria elements listed in each prize description. They are judged anonymously by members of the English faculty,” wrote Calleja in an email to The Phillipian.
Susan Eliasen, History & Social Science Department Office Administrator, highlights how the history department ends the year with a special ceremony. Eliasen gave additional details on the ceremony itself.
“At the end of the spring term, the History & Social Sciences department holds a prize ceremony honoring all students that receive a prize. All faculty are present, and students can bring a guest. Students are presented with the prize (handpicked books by the nominating teacher specific to the student’s area(s) of interest) by the nominating teacher who shares some words about the student’s achievements. It is a wonderful end of year celebration and is one that teachers and students look forward to each year,” wrote Eliasen in an email to The Phillipian.
Membreno-Canales also reflected on the significance of these awards within the Art Department, noting that they represent more than just recognition of technical skills. They serve as the culmination of a student’s artistic journey at Andover, highlighting personal growth and artistic identity.
“The awards represent one of the most meaningful moments of the academic year for the Art Department and serve as an opportunity to recognize not just technical achievement, but artistic character and growth. They reflect the department’s long commitment, stretching back to Abbot Academy and the early years of the Addison Gallery, to honoring the full development of the student as an artist,” wrote Membreno-Canales.
