Founders Day 2026

In honor of Joseph Venincasa

Respect for the Institution, The Students, the Faculty and the Neighborhood.

In honor of William “Doc” Samko

In honor of Dave, Jimmy, and Howie

Thank you, Dave, Jimmy, and Howie, for your relentless effort in keeping Gaskill Field in tremendous shape and for always having our uniforms ready to go on game day!

I would like to honor Ms. Gould. She is an incredible teacher, coach, and friend, and I'm grateful for her mentorship.

In honor of In honor of Delilah, whose friendship, kindness, and quiet strength means more than words can express. She stood beside our daughter on and off the ice, making sure she was never left behind. In founding the NISHL she helped create the opportunity for one final season that became a treasured gift. That time together meant the world to our family. May this contribution celebrate the spirit of inclusion, courage, and friendship that Delilah embodies every day.

In memory of Bruce Acker

In memory of Mr. Bruce Acker, who taught us to Achieve The Honorable.

In honor of Joel Strogoff and family

Joel was our son's advisor and mentor for many years. His gentle guidance and encouragement were, and are, deeply appreciated.

In honor of Ms. Thompson

Thank you to my advisor, Ms. Thompson, for being so helpful, welcoming, and supportive of me these past two years. I am so grateful to have you as an advisor. Thank you for all you do for me, my peers, and the Worcester Academy community! We are so lucky to have you!

In honor of The athletics department!

Huge shoutout to the athletics department! The administration, sports medicine, sports equipment, facilities management, and coaches. Thank you for all that you do!!

In honor of Tom Blackburn, Ralph Hughes, Ruth Neal, Doc Samko, Chet Chaisson, Johnny Ricciardi

This PG year has made all the difference in my Life's journey.

In memory of Bernard LaPointe

In honor of Congratulations to all of the wonderful award recipients!

In honor of Dee Rowe

Simply the Best

In honor of David Borrelli

David and his staff are truly a vital part of WA. David shows the students commitment and connection as well as a sense of safety. Thank you so much!

In honor of Dave Plante

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts," — William Shakespeare, As You Like It. Dave lights the way for the players. Thank you!

In honor of Volleyball

In honor of Barbara Gould

Best wishes for a well deserved retirement - and thank you for your years of dedication to WA! :-)

We Appreciate Worcester Academy. The Teachers, Coaches, Staff - Thank you! Maddie Keough ‘27 - Keough Family

In honor of Mr. Kirk Upton

From freshman through senior year, Mr. Upton has fostered a true love of learning, always meeting his students with compassion, understanding, and enthusiasm. He has proven himself to be one of the most caring teachers I have ever had — someone who genuinely wants his students to succeed. I owe much of the way I approach challenges to the lessons I’ve learned as his student. Thank you, Mr. Upton!

In honor of Sarah Sadowsky '26

Achieve the Honorable!

Happy Anniversary, Worcester Academy！ May the spirit of excellence continue to shine.

Grateful for my excellent W.A. education from stellar teachers including Ralph Hughes, Donald Bloom, Caleb Woodhouse, Howard and Janet Shainheit, and many others.

In honor of Middle School Faculty

The MS Faculty who work hard every day to support our students and build our program.

In honor of Elaine Bloom

Elaine was my advisor and my Latin teacher for 5 years. She was always supportive, academically demanding, and quick with a joke that may have flown over some of the students' heads, but if you were paying attention, you might catch it and have a great laugh. Thank you for letting me carve my name into the Latin 5 window sill.

In honor of Upper School Faculty and Staff

In honor of our Upper School faculty and staff who work tirelessly every day to equip our students with the skills and wisdom to achieve the honorable

I would like to honor the community of Worcester Academy. It's the community of administrators, educators, security, students, and parents that make WA an incredible place. I am grateful for all of you that make WA a place where we can all achieve the honorable.

In honor of Hilltoppers

I’m happy to support Founder’s Day and to honor the alumni whose generosity and love for Worcester Academy mean so much to our community.

In honor of Mike Abraham

Thanks to Coach Abes for introducing us to WA! Looking forward to a great season:)

In honor of In honor of my co-advisor Ruming Yang who has been a fantastic addition to the WA community. And to our energetic advisees: Johnny, Jason, Anna, Davis, Fifi and Sophia. Thanks for bringing great energy into every advisory gathering and discussion!!

Happy New Year!

In honor of Ralph Hughes

I had many wonderful, impactful teachers at WA. Mr. Hughes taught English, but he really taught how to think critically. I thank him for those lightbulb moments as I learned how to peal away the noise and get to the crux of the matter under discussion.

In honor of Patty Peterleitner- Incredible teacher of Physics, motivational Ski team coach and ski club chaperone, academic guide for my son and daughter, wonderful community advocate and leader, and most importantly a life long friend. Thank you Patty!

Patty Peterleitner- Incredible teacher of Physics, motivational Ski team coach and ski club chaperone, academic guide for my son and daughter, wonderful community advocate and leader, and most importantly a life long friend. Thank you Patty!

In honor of the faculty, coaches, and staff at WA who have had such a positive impact on my kids’ growth as students, teammates, and leaders, and who have helped make their experience truly meaningful. Go Hilltoppers!

In honor of Coach Mike Abraham

Coach Abes is the best coach. Both of my boys played\play division one baseball and have had many baseball coaches throughout their careers and I can honestly say that Mike Abraham is a player's coach. I'm so thankful that my boys have him in their lives. Thankful he was Mavrick's coach for two years and that Kyle will now be coaching along side of him.

To our current families-- Thank you for choosing WA as your educational partner.

In memory of Bruce Marshall

He worked at WA before heading to UConn and was a great mentor for me. Every message he left ended with "achieve the honorable"!

In honor of Honoring the entire staff of the Development Office.

A hard working, dedicated team.

In honor of The amazing faculty in the Visual/Performing Arts department and all the time, energy, and support they give students

I am giving in honor of Ms. Tew. She has been very supportive of me and is always there when I need her help. She creates a theater community where everyone feels welcome.

In honor of Delilah Cioffi

Delilah, my daughter Emily is so grateful to you for creating NISHL, a welcoming girls hockey league founded on kind conduct and competitive play! In a short time, she has grown her game and character through encouragement and positive challenges. It’s a delight to honor you! Wishing you much success with all your future endeavors, Lindy

In honor of the student artists of Worcester Academy – past, present, and future. I am so proud of all you create. May you never stop finding joy in the arts.

In honor of Barbara Gould

Thank you Barbara Gould for guiding my daughter during her time at WA. You were a coach, teacher, mentor and friend. Your teachings impacted her and our family in so many ways. Good luck in your retirement. Love you, Lynda

In honor of Our amazing Hilltopper community of the past, present, and future.

In honor of Coach Mike Girardi

My early years at Worcester Academy were not easy. I had gone through several surgeries with an unusual knee injury missing two years of sports. Coach G believed in me before I even believed in myself. He made a huge impact on my baseball career and my life in general. Coach G made me a better man and taught me valuable lessons. Another thing that stands out about him is he was always smiling no matter what was going on. He was always positive and had a smile on his face.

In honor of Ms. Tew

For her amazing work with the Theater Department and being an incredible mentor to many!

In honor of Zak Johnson

Hey Zak Johnson, every now and then I’m reminded of how much you shaped my daughter’s confidence back in your homeroom. You believed in her at such an important time, and that kind of support sticks for life. Just wanted you to know those years still mean a lot to our family. 💛

Honoring the faculty and mentors who shaped my time at Worcester Academy, believed in me, and pushed me to Achieve the Honorable. Their impact has stayed with me and left a lasting mark on my life, which is why I give back.

In honor of Andrea Hayden

In memory of Edward Coady, Jr.

Hilltopper Swimming Let’s GO!

In honor of Coach Ed Reilly

Thanks to Coach Ed Reilly for all of his hard work, countless efforts, and success over the many years he was Director of Athletics in building the Worcester Academy Athletic Department to the greatness of what it is today. He is what is great about WA and life. Thanks Coach Reilly!!

In honor of Mr. Young

In honor of my advisor, Mr. Young. He's a great Hilltopper who consistently creates a positive atmosphere on campus with his helpfulness and everyday kindness, such as holding the door open and greeting all the students every morning.

In honor of Dr Demerath

Thank you for always being such a great person to be around in the halls and at golf practice. It’s always great to see you and talk to you throughout the day as well. I appreciate all you do.

In honor of Barbara Gould

Coach Gould was a huge part of my Worcester Academy experience. She always pushed me to do my absolute best, and then some. She is the most dedicated coach I’ve ever had, and the passion she has for her swimmers and her team is unmatched. Thank you Coach Gould for making me the person I am today.

In honor of John Nally Class of 72

One of several life long friends from WA

In memory of Michael Mone

My brother was Class of 1958 and a proud benefactor of Worcester Academy

In honor of Barbara Gould

Ms. Gould is the best coach I ever had, and I will always remember my swimming days at WA!

In honor of Harold Sadowsky '52

Achieve the Honorable

In honor of Coach Val Price

In honor of Coach Val Price, an exceptional swim coach whose encouragement and positivity foster a team culture where every swimmer feels valued and supported.

In honor of Christine Thorn

In honor of my favorite English teacher Mrs. Thorn!

In honor of Mrs. Thorn

Thank you to Mrs. Thorn for introducing me to the best American literature, inspiring my love of reading and writing, and for the lasting mentorship you’ve provided!

In memory of Dr. Oscar and Susan H. Starobin

Forever grateful to my family for making my W.A. education possible.

In honor of Coach Bolden! Thank you for always supporting us and making softball season so fun!

In honor of Ralph Hughes (English) and George Whittemore (Physics), two outstanding teachers

I came to WA as a PG from Worcester public schools. Mr. Hughes taught me how to not just read words, but how to read thoughtfully and critically and truly engage with the text. Mr. Whittemore taught me how engage with physics not just as an esoteric set of rules, but as an explanation for the real world dynamics happening all around us. Just two of the many excellent teachers we were blessed to have at WA.

In honor of Coach Kevin Zifcak/ Coach Mary

It is an honor to give back to my high school, a place that helped shape the foundation of who I am today. This gift is made in honor of my two highschool hockey coaches, whose leadership and belief in me extended far beyond the rink. Their impact continues to guide me, and I’m grateful to pay that forward to the next generation.

In honor of Irving B. Freeman

Thank you Mr. Freeman for inspiring me in the sciences and photography.

In honor of Coach Barbara Gould

I might not have been on the swim team...but I was fortunate to be in Coach Gould's Anatomy class my senior year. There are many reasons that one can find to "wax poetic" about their time on the hill...my time spent in that classroom certainly is a reason for me! Cheers to the retirement of a true educator!

In honor of Natalia Gillaspie

In honor of Ms. Tew and Ms. Salas and the whole VPA Department

In honor of Barbara Gould

In honor of Vic Fields

Vic will be missed. Great person indeed.

Ms. Gould was always nice to me during my time at WA. As an international student, Ms. Gould made my WA experience feel like I was at home! During my last year at the Hilltop (2016), I needed a camera, so I came to Ms. Gould with a proposal: I could edit and clean all the school pictures she would frequently take, and in exchange, she would give me one of her old cameras. She agreed. I would come into her office during my free blocks and get to work. After a few weeks, I had a camera! Happy retirement, Ms. Gould!!