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Alumni spanning the Classes of 1965 to 2020 joined us from Santa Fe, Denver, Atlanta, Montreal, California, and New York City on October 18. There was a particularly strong turnout from 1975, 1985, 2017, and 2020 graduates — and most of Dwight’s 1995 championship-winning basketball team was also present.

Many connections had never faded over the years, with friendships moving into their fourth or fifth decades! Dwight alums Larry Fink ’90, Kris Palestrini ’90, Justin Malko ’90, and Ramin Jahannia ’90 still speak daily — their bond just as strong as it was in high school. 

For others, the night was a joyful return after years apart from each other and the space that had once been their second home. Eric Dale, Head of Upper School, reconnected our alumni to their alma mater by leading tours through the campus, pointing out how much had changed — and how much had stayed the same. Lynn Meir ’85 (Anglo-American) sat with her longtime friend Erika Ellis ’85 and remarked on being in the Quad. Surrounded by familiar sights, Lynn reflected on the “beautiful memories” made there, while Erika called the experience itself “mind-blowing.”

Throughout the evening, classmates and teammates relived school days and shared updates about their lives after graduation. Whether it had been five years or fifty, one thing was clear: the Dwight, Franklin, and Anglo-American spirit lives on in deep and lifelong connections.

And those alumni connections will continue to be strengthened throughout the year at Dwight. Our next event on January 24 is our annual Alumni Basketball Game, and we hope to see you on the court!

Zachary Rothfeld '13, documentary writer and producer, won a Primetime Emmy for producing 100 Foot Wave. The HBO documentary series follows the adventures of surfer Garrett McNamara, chasing his 100-foot wave in Nazaré, Portugal. With a captivating narrative and breathtaking shots of the ocean, the series won two Emmys this year for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series and Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program.

Of the win, Zachary said, “I was in disbelief, it felt like the culmination of so much work ever since Dwight.” 

Starting his Dwight journey in 7th grade, Zachary was hoping to find a passion or a talent that could motivate him during his studies. “I didn’t do well except if I was uniquely interested in something,” he said.

Two years later, Dwight added a film program to the IB. Zachary mentioned this program as being the place in which his spark was ignited. “I just thrived. It was the most success I ever had and manifested to success in all of my classes. It was because of Dwight that I got interested in film again.”

In fact, his superlative was “most likely to become a documentary filmmaker.” We are so proud that this came true. Congratulations to Zachary!

Out of 166 teams, our students rose to an unprecedented level of success — including six major trophies, among them 1st place in writing, 1st place in the Scholar’s Bowl, and 2nd place in Debate.

The overall total of nine team trophies, along with an enormous amount of gold medals, speaks to both the talent of our students and the incredible dedication, strategy, and passion of Coach (and Head of MS Humanities) Marie Nieto. All Dwight teams qualified for the Championships at Yale in November, making this not only the most successful showing in school history, but also a defining moment for the World Scholar’s Cup program at our School.

Perhaps the biggest achievement of all went to Coach Nieto, who was recognized as Coach of the Decade. It’s no surprise, as her guidance, belief in her students, and tireless work behind the scenes on the World Scholar’s Cup continue to make a lasting impact on the Dwight community. 

Send up a roar of congratulations to this fantastic team and coach!

Next stop: the final competition at Yale in November. Best of luck!