Sixth-grade students mixed creativity, scientific knowledge, and interactive storytelling as they wrote, edited, illustrated, and read aloud their own environmental science storybooks during a recent class presentation.

Growing up playing and watching sports, Class of 2018 alumnus Michael Johnson II knew his career would involve that passion, and he is now working towards his master’s degree in sports management.

The Co-ed Varsity Swimming and Diving Team traveled to Wheaton College to compete in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Championship on March 8, with the Boys’ Team defending its championship title for the fifth consecutive year and the girls’ team earning the runner-up spot - the highest finish since 2015.

The Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team has been named the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Tournament Class C Champions following its game against Kimball Union Academy on Sunday, March 9.

Taylor Gymnasium was abuzz with innate curiosity and scientific knowledge in the form of questions; most notably, what makes the fluffiest slime, can you make batteries out of lemons, and how does lip balm react in varying conditions as Grades 4-6 students showcased their research findings at the Lower School Science Fair.

Class of 2008 alumna Alexa DellaRocco married Krystin Rothenberger on February 21. The wedding took place at the Casa Feliz Historic Museum in Winter Park, Fla., which is known for its beautiful brick architecture.

Class of 2009 alumna Nicole Anastasio and husband Lou Negri welcomed the birth of twin boys, Luca and Santino, to their family in January. The boys join their big sister Isabella, who is now two years old.

The Boys’ Varsity Basketball welcomed Portsmouth Abbey School for the quarterfinal game of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Tournament on March 5 winning 83-60. The team now advances to the semifinals.

The Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team hosted King School for the quarterfinal game of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Tournament on March 5 winning 71-29. The team now advances to the semifinals.

Despite the presence of a roaring fire, twinkly lights and illumining stars, second-grade students were quiet beside their campsites as they spent the morning enjoying a leisurely yet educational activity, Camp-Read-A Lot. The special activity not only highlighted the fun of being an accomplished reader, but commemorated Read Across America, a national program that aims to inspire students about the joys of reading and to become lifelong learners.

Alumnus David Bender, Class of 1970, of Westbrook, Conn. died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on March 1.

Small acts of kindness can be powerful as they have a ripple effect that can spread positivity and make differences in people’s lives. This superpower was harnessed by the Middle School Student Council in the recent launching of a Kindness Campaign.

Upper School students unleashed their creativity and craftsmanship skills in the MakerSpace Design Lab as they designed, cut, and assembled their own wood cutting boards from scratch in a hands-on project for their Engineering and Design class.

The passion for the game of basketball has transcended into business management and the opportunity to teach youth for Hamden Hall alumni Alejandro L. Pabon-Rey 2011, Michael DiMartino 2016, and Victor “Vic” Joshua Jr. 2012, as they work together at The Lab Branford.

The Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey Team closed out its regular season with a 4-1 win against Trinity Pawling JV at the Ralph Walker Rink on February 24. The team has advanced to the Fairchester Athletic Association League playoffs.

The Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team advanced to the semifinals of the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) League Tournament after winning the quarterfinal game against Greenwich Country Day School on February 24. The final score was 74-63.

Class of 1974 alumnus Prof. John Abelson is now able to focus on his love of the humanities as he embarks on a journey of discovery in retirement following a long-standing career in education.

The Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team traveled for an away game against Portsmouth Abbey School on February 22 winning 64-58.

The Co-ed Varsity Swimming and Diving Team competed in the Fairchester Athletic Association League Championship February 21-22 with the Boys’ Team finishing in third place.

The Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey Team traveled for a game against St. Luke’s School on February 21 with the final score 5-5.

The Co-ed Varsity Swimming and Diving Team successfully defended both the Boys’ and Girls’ titles at the Connecticut Independent School Athletic Conference (CISAC) Championships during which Hamden Hall hosted Westover School, Williams School, MacDuffie School, and Marianapolis School at the Beckerman Athletic Center Natatorium.

The Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team traveled to Westport for a game against Fairchester Athletic Association League rival Greens Farms Academy on Tuesday, February 18, winning 77-72.

Class of 1984 alumni Austin Baskett and Tom Greiner took on the waves during a recent outing in the island of Bonaire.

The Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey Team traveled to the Harvey School for a late afternoon game on Friday, February 14, winning 4-0 in a shutout.

Two qualifying members of the Boys’ Varsity Wrestling Team competed at the New England Prep Wrestling Championship hosted at Phillips Exeter Academy on Friday, February 14, and Saturday, February 15.

The Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team traveled for an afternoon game against Harvey School on Wednesday, February 12, winning 70-25.

The Lower School Science classroom buzzed with enthusiasm and curiosity as third-grade students explored different ways of measuring the mass and volume of things around them

The beauty and creative nature of the arts has allowed Class of 1972 alumna Jill Medvedow to build a life full of transformative experiences. As she is in the process of navigating a career shift, Jill shared parting wisdom from a lifetime of modern art.

The Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team welcomed Watkinson School for a home game on Monday, February 10, winning 81-24.

The Boys’ Varsity Wrestling Team traveled to Pomfret School to compete in the Western New England Prep School Wrestling Association (WNEPSWA) Tournament on Saturday, February 8.

The Girls’ Varsity Swimming and Diving Team welcomed Convent of the Sacred Heart for a weekend match at the Beckerman Athletic Center Natatorium on Saturday, February 8.

The Co-ed Varsity Swimming and Diving Team traveled to Hopkins School for a meet on Wednesday, February 5, with the Boys’ Team closing out the season with a 6-2 record and the Girls’ Team with one meet to go.

Five seniors from the Class of 2025 have experienced all of the Hamden Hall time-honored traditions from the Lower School Halloween parade and Valentine’s Day Bake Sale, to sixth-grade graduation to musical concerts and performances to MayFest, and more. The longevity of their time under the pines was recently celebrated at the Lifers’ Shirting Ceremony.

Books have the magical ability to take us on a journey beyond the pages into different worlds and to celebrate World Read Aloud Day, Middle and Upper School students grabbed their picture books and shared the joys of reading.

Books have the magical ability to take us on a journey beyond the pages into different worlds and to celebrate World Read Aloud Day, Middle and Upper School students grabbed their picture books and shared the joys of reading.

The Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey Team welcomed Harvey School at the Ralph Walker Rink for a home game on Monday, February 3, winning 7-3.

The Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team faced off against Fairchester Athletic Association League rival Hopkins School on Monday, February 3, winning 54-15.

The Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team traveled crosstown for a game against Fairchester Athletic Association League rival Hopkins School on Monday, February 3, winning 74-62.

The Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey Team welcomed Fairchester Athletic Association League rival St. Luke’s School to Blake Rink for a game on Wednesday, January 29, winning 8-6.

The Co-ed Varsity Swimming and Diving Team hosted Williams School, Kingswood Oxford, and Marianapolis School for a quad meet at the Beckerman Athletic Center Natatorium on Wednesday, January 29, with both teams winning across the board.

The Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team welcomed Greenwich Academy for a game on Wednesday, January 29, winning 80-25.

Hamden Hall parent and Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey Coach Danielle Pannone has been named the new Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse Coach for the upcoming spring season. She also is the head coach at Dewlex Lacrosse Club.

January 29 marked the start of Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, a multi-day celebration that signals the arrival of spring in many Asian cultures. From classroom lessons and projects, to food and assemblies, all three divisions are taking part in celebrating and learning more about the holiday and its traditions.

Second-grade students embarked on an exciting journey into the world of meteorology by creating their very own anemometers in a hands-on STEM activity. Wind speed is calculated using the device known as an anemometer.

The Boys’ Varsity Wrestling Team traveled for an away meet against Canterbury School, Marianapolis School, and the Forman School at Canterbury on Saturday, January 25.

The Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team welcomed Holy Child School for a home game on Saturday, January 25, winning 54-30.

An early interest in computers and an unwavering curiosity of how they work led Class of 1997 alumnus Matthew “Matt” Ahrens to an engineering career in the area of file systems management at high-tech companies.

The magical world of fairytales took an imaginative spin as Grade 4 students offered a new perspective on the timeless classics of Three Little Pigs and Cinderella with their own creatively adapted scripts in their cross-curricular stage production of Once Upon A Remix for families and fellow Lower School students.

This is the third and final part of my blog series on returning to Hamden Hall as the new Director of Alumni Relations. I’ve covered Hamden Hall’s past (my past) and present, but I now want to look into the future.

The Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey Team continues its success on the ice as it faced off against Choate (JV) on Saturday, January 18, winning 9-2.

The Co-ed Varsity Swimming and Diving Team traveled for an away meet against Canterbury School and Holy Child on Saturday, January 18, with the Boys’ winning 50-29 against Canterbury.

English 10 classes murmured with anticipation, intention, and drama as they stood on the stage of the Taylor Performing Arts Center ready to perform their original interpretation of a passage from Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

With a little imagination and creativity, anything is possible including first-grade students demonstrating yoga poses as they took families and fellow Lower School students on a relaxing journey in their performance of I Am Yoga. The idea for the show was based on the book by author Susan Verde.

The Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team hosted Fairchester Athletic Association League rival Rye Country Day School for an afternoon game on Tuesday, January 14, winning 83-63.

Matthew Kennedy, of New Haven, alum from the Class of 1997, died over this past weekend.

“Life is Delicious” when giving back to those in need. The Middle School community continues to promote stewardship and build connections as seventh- and eighth-grade students commenced the first installment of the annual community service project.

The Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team traveled to the Bancroft School for an away game on Friday, January 10, winning 79-70.

The Boys’ Varsity Wrestling Team welcomed Stony Brook Academy, Storm King School, and New York Military Academy for a tri-meet at the Beckerman Athletic Center on Saturday, January 11.

The Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team traveled for a non-league game against Millbrook School on Friday, January 10, winning 79-70.

Class of 2013 alumnus Jamie DeNicola built a transformative career as a broker in New York City real estate, but has shifted gears to tackle sustainability and energy efficiency challenges within the industry as the founder and chief revenue officer of Source Forward.

The Co-ed Varsity Swimming and Diving Team hosted Masters School and Greenwich Country Day School for a dual meet at the Beckerman Athletic Center Natatorium on Saturday, January 11.

Joan Rice Douglas Gordon, Hamden Hall alumna from the Class of 1945, died on July 1, 2024,  in Jacksonville, Fla. She was 95.

Class of 2005 alumnus Christopher “Chris” Wang assists clients in sourcing new investment opportunities across the office, industrial, and multifamily sectors in the commercial real estate business for Parkway in Miami, Fla.

The Boys’ Varsity Ice Hockey Team traveled for an away match against Brunswick School on Thursday, January 9, winning 12-0.

Budding scientists in the Upper School have the opportunity to develop meaningful projects that address real-world challenges through the integration of biology and STEM principles via Hamden Hall’s new BioBuilder Club. Science teacher Daniel Kemp serves as the club’s advisor.

Understanding the financial landscape and precious metals industry has allowed Class of 2009 alumnus Jacob “Jake” Gottlieb to not only join the family business, but successfully lend his expertise to clients as the vice president of finance at Colt Refining, Inc.

George H. Romania, 65, of Cheshire, died peacefully on December 25, with his family by his side, ending his long battle with MSA. 

Advocacy in action is the blueprint for Class of 1984 alumna Stephanie Zanker-Rivera as she works to help others in her role  as a behavioral health clinical manager with the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. She also serves as the Director of the Young Parents Program.

Carol M. Merrill, 87, died peacefully with her family beside her on December 19, 2024, after a brief hospitalization.

Thomas "TG" Sullivan III, Class of 1987, passed away on December 14, 2024. 

Former faculty member Thomas Butler, 77, passed away on January 2 in Ithaca, N.Y. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Joyce Ryan, and his son, Nick, who is a Hamden Hall alumnus of the Class of 2000.

Class of 2011 alumna Morgan Massey and husband Neville Graham welcomed their first child, son Logan Neville Graham.