News & Events

A hallowed school tradition continued on Thursday, April 18, as Joe Bakkar, Gretchen Scott, and Lily Stockwell competed in the Senior Speech Finals. 

This event is the culmination of a program in public speaking that begins in first grade with Boy and Girl of the Day and continues through Middle School with Nine Grade Speeches.⁣ Senior Speeches are several minutes long, with students responsible for researching, writing, and presenting in front of the entire Upper School, with support from a faculty advisor.

Joe, advised by Charlotte Zito '99, argued for a better pathway to citizenship. Gretchen, advised by Tommy Hudgins '72, argued in support of safe consumption sites for drug use. Lily, advised by Margaret Marshall, argued that affirmative action is both constitutional and effective.

Congratulations to all three. And thank you to the panel of judges for this event, Navy CDR Peter Daniels, attorney Jennifer Eaton, and Price Hall '02, who taught in a number of roles at NA over 12 years.

The winner will be announced in May at Graduation.⁣ ⁣

Also congratulations to 12 seniors who earned distinction for their senior speeches: Lizzie Adams; Lucy Baughman; Brooke Bettencourt; Sam Bibeau; Ann Gray Golpira; Rhea Khanna; Toye Lawani; Isabella Leon; Holden Nelson; Mack Panko; Areen Syed; and Natalie Tajan.