Academics

What his advisors had to say:

We hear so much about hockey, and rightfully so—so much of Briggs's time and energy is devoted to the sport. We were thrilled to finally get to see him play in Burlington at the beginning of Thanksgiving break, and he's exceptional. Honestly, though, it's no surprise. The athleticism we saw during Varsity soccer was just a hint of his ability, and watching him on the ice confirmed what we already suspected: this kid is a serious athlete. We look forward to continuing to cheer him on. In the dorm, he's a great friend and roommate who consistently follows rules and makes mature, responsible decisions. His grades are excellent, reflecting the same dedication he brings to athletics. He's got a great sense of humor and we genuinely love spending time with him. Here's our one request: we want him to remember we're here and ready to help with whatever he needs - stock him with supplies, Windex his mirror, throw his water bottle in our dishwasher—truly anything. We know he's more than busy juggling academics and athletics, and we want to make sure he feels comfortable reaching out when support would help. He handles everything with impressive independence, but we're right here when he needs us. Keep up the excellent work across the board, Briggs.

What his advisors had to say:

We have been so impressed with Briggs this trimester. He juggles an enormous amount and does so with remarkable grace — but what has stood out even more than his ability to manage his responsibilities is the strength of his character in the moments that matter. Time and again this term, we have watched Briggs make the right decision even when it was the harder one. He looks out for those around him, knows when to involve adults, and consistently steps up — even in the small, quiet moments when no one is watching. He is exactly the kind of person who makes this community better simply by being a part of it, and we could not be more proud of the young man he is.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs finishes the trimester with an impressive A, characterized by a perfect homework average, strong participation, excellent test results, and a 100 on the final exam. His enthusiasm for learning and willingness to embrace challenges are truly commendable. Briggs's continued growth in confidence, persistence, and accuracy is evident. He exemplifies the balance of enjoying learning while taking academic responsibilities seriously. His natural curiosity drives him to grasp not just the steps of a problem but also the reasoning behind them. His positive attitude is infectious and creates a motivating environment for his peers. I am excited to see him continue to shine in the next trimester.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs had an excellent winter term in Pre-Algebra. He continues to approach class with enthusiasm, persistence, and a strong desire to do well. He participates regularly, takes pride in his work, and is willing to put in the effort needed to understand new material, even when it becomes challenging. His positive attitude and willingness to stay engaged each day helped him maintain strong performance throughout the term. Briggs shows resilience when working through difficult problems and does not get discouraged easily, which is a great strength as the material becomes more complex. I look forward to seeing him continue to build on this success in the spring.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs had a wonderful year in Pre-Algebra. From the start, he brought a positive attitude, strong effort, and a genuine desire to improve. He approached challenges with grit and optimism, and he consistently showed pride in his work. Briggs was often willing to volunteer, try problems in front of the class, and celebrate progress along the way. His steady focus and persistence helped him grow significantly as a mathematician. Just as importantly, his attitude had a positive effect on the classroom around him. Briggs remained consistent, hardworking, and kind throughout the year. He showed that confidence is built through effort, and he became more comfortable taking risks as the year went on. His willingness to keep trying, even when problems were difficult, was one of his greatest strengths. Briggs was a bright spot in class, and it was a true pleasure to teach him.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs is highly engaged in class and is often one of the first to raise his hand to answer or ask questions. He completes his homework thoroughly and on time, showing responsibility and commitment. While his writing and speaking are strong, he sometimes makes small syntax mistakes. Briggs encourages classmates and contributes positively to our class community. He attempts to use Spanish in class as much as he can, which is fantastic. Briggs asks questions to learn more that go beyond only clarifying expectations.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs was very focused when completing homework and improved his attention to detail in his work. In class, he was an active participant and was often one of the first to volunteer to speak, read his responses, or answer a question, which enriched our discussions and showed engagement with the material. He could sometimes be distracting when seated near one of his friends, so I encouraged him to maintain his strong focus during class work time as well. Briggs's writing contained some errors that he was capable of identifying and fixing with careful self-editing, and I'd like him to build that revision habit before submitting his work. On his final verbal interview, he earned 102%. He demonstrated thorough understanding of the grammatical concepts we covered during the winter and went above and beyond in his responses.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs was a consistent leader during whole-group class conversations, often helping to guide discussion in productive directions. He demonstrated excellent reading comprehension and strong vocabulary recall, along with high attention to detail in his homework. He was a strong self-advocate, regularly correcting mistakes once they were identified and showing an understanding of what he needed to be successful. Briggs generally avoided distracting behaviors and demonstrated maturity in staying focused on his work. His pronunciation and verbal fluency improved over the year, though he was more successful when he had time to rehearse responses than in fully spontaneous interactions. He did an excellent job speaking and acting in the group video project and worked hard to keep his group on task and focused throughout the process. His final exam was strong and clearly reflects the growth he made this year across both grammar and vocabulary development. While Briggs sometimes lacked confidence in his own abilities, this was not fully warranted given the consistent quality of his work and his demonstrated understanding throughout the year.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs brought a lot of background knowledge to class this fall, and he also displayed very good study skills in history class. His assignments were always completed on time and with great care, and he, at times contributed thoughtful questions and comments during discussions. While he could get a bit sidetracked with friends, Briggs always was able to refocus. He worked well in any pair or group activities, and he often showed his leadership skills by getting others to do their best. Near the end of the trimester, he organized a very informative presentation on parts of Reconstruction. He spoke clearly and with ease in front of his peers. His last quiz score was a bit below his usual score, and he did not show his normal level of detail. Hopefully this winter, he returns with renewed focus, as we tend to go faster.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs had another strong trimester in Modern American History. He participated well, worked cooperatively with others, and completed assignments on time and with care. His understanding of key concepts was evident in his Gilded Age and Progressive Movement poster. That said, Briggs did seem a bit tired at times this trimester. His busy athletic schedule may have impacted his usual attention to detail, including on his poster project. While he performed well on the final quiz, it was slightly below his typical level. With a bit more balance and focus this spring, especially as we move into interest-based projects, Briggs is well-positioned to return to his highest level of performance.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs was not only a very strong student but also a class leader this year. He was helpful to his peers and never failed to take charge in activities, setting an involved tone for others. While he sometimes got distracted, having too much fun with friends, he always buckled down when needed. His nightly assignments and classwork were always done on time and with attention to detail. He led his group in a broadcast about WWI, even spending extra time outside of class to ensure his group's work was well done. He also spoke fluidly in his presentations on the innovations of the 1920s and the Great Depression. His quiz scores highlighted his thorough understanding of the material. Briggs is set to be a leader in Sixth Form classes.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs brought a commendable level of effort to Fifth Form English this fall term. In class he sets to work quickly, asks for feedback, and takes instruction well. In class discussions he answers questions and offers his own thoughts on our readings. As the class worked on new expository writing skills, such as paragraph unity and compare and contrast structure, Briggs demonstrated an understanding and ability to put those skills into practice; though his sentences and paragraphs remained fairly basic and unpolished. In the latter half of the fall term Briggs engaged productively, offering his suspicions and reactions to the twists and turns of our mystery novel. The culminating essay was a big step up for Briggs-he admitted it was the first essay he'd been assigned-and I was proud of how he took it on: asking for support, thinking creatively about the book, and putting extra effort into getting the major components of the assignment onto the page. I look forward to working with Briggs next term and supporting his continuing development as an English student.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs is an absolute pleasure to have in class. While not all aspects of English class come easily to Briggs, he works hard, wants to do well, and maintains a productive and positive attitude. I am really proud of his effort and attitude, and I trust they will keep paying dividends for Briggs. Throughout the term Briggs was consistent with his homework completion. As the class read Animal Farm this term, Briggs began using chapter summaries to put the pieces of the chapter together and come to a better grasp of the chapter overall. This seems to work well for Briggs, and he was able to participate productively and discuss the book in class. In the spring term we will keep working on reading strategies to improve comprehension. Likewise, we will continue building Briggs' confidence with writing. I look forward to working with Briggs next term.

What his teacher had to say:

It was such a pleasure teaching Briggs this year. He brought a consistent desire to engage, learn, and contribute to the classroom environment. This spring term Briggs continued to stay on top of his homework assignment and demonstrated ownership of his academic performance by advocating for himself when he missed class. Briggs was active and participatory as the class read and analyzed poetry this spring. The poetry writing activities pushed Briggs out of his comfort zone, but he did well to work through the challenge. In the second half of the term Briggs kept up with our reading of Romeo and Juliet despite the difficulty of the Elizabethan language. Reading confidence remains an area of growth for Briggs. Improvement would allow Briggs to deepen his understanding and analysis. As a writer, Briggs gained valuable experience this year, but is still learning to organize his thoughts and foreground textual evidence. Thanks, Briggs, for your hard work this year!

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs has displayed diligence and determination to succeed in Earth Science this fall. He comes to class each day enthusiastically and is prepared to learn. Briggs asks fantastic questions that show a deep reflection in his assignments which contribute to greater understanding of course material. He is excellent in partner work and strong as a notetaker and occasional contributor to class discussions. He has shown a mostly strong understanding of course material throughout the trimester. During the first unit, Briggs demonstrated a high level engagement but incomplete understanding of the scientific method and unit conversions. At this point in the term, he doubled down and began seeking extra help and asking more clarifying questions during class time. Each of his next two assessments performances on chemistry and minerals showed a growing understanding of material where he continued to refine his blossoming study skills for Earth Science. The strongest performance of the term for Briggs came during the rock identification, where he took advantage of review sessions and showed a mastery of material. He maintained a strong level of performance on the final assessment on rocks. A unique trait which Briggs' possesses is his innate curiosity in the natural world. He thrived during extension activities and field trips in nature at the end of the term as he was able to connect concepts from class to our natural world. I encourage Briggs to continue bringing this curiosity to class and allow it to be a vehicle for continued success in the classroom during the rest of the year. It was a pleasure teaching Briggs this fall and I look forward to seeing his continued success over the remainder of the year.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs brought a high level of engagement and focus to Earth Science class this winter. He was consistently prepared for class and exhibited thoughtfulness and care in his approach to class material. He was an active participant in class discussions, group work, and hands-on activities. Briggs had impressive performances this term especially on the map quiz at the beginning of the term and his final project on the Indian Ocean tsunami where he did a great job on his poster, presentation, and written analysis. Briggs continues to bring an enthusiasm and love of learning to Earth Science and asks many thoughtful questions. This spring, I encourage Briggs to always carefully read through rubrics and expectations so that he is able to achieve levels of academic success which match his engagement in the course. His Graham Cracker Plate Tectonics lab was solid overall in terms of the quality of work, but a more thoughtful read through of the rubric prevented him from achieving an even greater level of academic achievement. Briggs continues to be an important member of Earth Science and I look forward to him continuing to build his academic skills and thrive as a scientist this spring.

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs had an exceptional end to a year of growth and curiosity as a scientist. He maintained a perfect record of homework which allowed him to achieve mastery of written assessments this term. His ability to synthesize large amounts of detail was evident on these tests and quizzes. He excelled especially with understanding and detailing processes, such as El Nino/Southern Oscillation, and became a strong resource for his classmates in growing their understanding. Briggs led with his sense of wonder this term which was evident in his thoughtful and personal Environmental Passion Project on Hurricanes and how they affect his home in Florida. He asked many thought-provoking questions both in the classroom and during his Special Ecological Place assignments where he meticulously detailed the beauty of the natural world. Additionally, Briggs was a steady contributor to debates and discussions this term bringing in creative and scientifically backed solutions to global and local problems. Excellent work this year, Briggs!

What his teacher had to say:

Briggs enjoys laughing and having fun, so this is a great class for him. He has said several times that it is one of his favorite parts of the day. Some of the highlights have been our sillier games, such as creating a survival plan for a zombie apocalypse and playing online, group Jackbox games that require impromptu responses. At the end of the term, Briggs and I teamed up for a debate on the difficulty of playing hockey. I was very impressed by his ability to come up with our four main points, each of which was clear and distinct. He did good research to support the two points he was arguing. Overall, Briggs had a great term.

Nicholas Sadnytzky: In Making Stuff, we explored together the world of creative technologies. Briggs brought enthusiasm and curiosity to each project, demonstrating his ability to learn new skills quickly and apply them creatively.

Solomon Lakey: Briggs was a fun and engaged student in the Woodworking elective this winter. He worked hard to complete his projects, demonstrated good craftsmanship, and maintained a positive attitude throughout the course.

Heather Gagnon, MSW, LICSW, LADC: Briggs was an absolute pleasure to have in class. He actively engaged with the material, asked thoughtful questions, and demonstrated a genuine interest in understanding health and wellness topics. His contributions enriched class discussions.

Jaye Pope: I enjoyed having Briggs in class. He was a very observant student who often answered questions about technique and process. His creative work showed genuine effort and artistic growth throughout the trimester.

Trevor Borek: Briggs has been a curious and enthusiastic member of our class. He has put solid effort into learning music production concepts and has demonstrated real growth in his technical skills and musical understanding.