Chat with us, powered by LiveChat

The Winchendon School

The best college prep school for students with significant unrealized potential

Athletics

This Weekend Couldn’t Be Beat!

It was an outstanding weekend in New England and neither the weather nor The Winchendon School could be beaten with Cross-Country notching a win and the girls’ soccer game ending in a tie!

CROSS COUNTRY WINS

According to Coach Moorshead, “To put it simply, this season has been full of surprises. Our biggest surprise was this past meet against Worcester Academy. Worcester is a much bigger school and to some, this may be very intimidating, but not to this team! They welcomed the challenge and raced like true professionals. In the last leg of the race, Patrick Stevens found his footing and picked up the pace to secure a first-place finish. How many people have the ability to get to the end and find a 6th gear? Only the greats and Saturday was filled with only the greatest effort.”

With the season winding down, Coach Moorshead added, “I’m looking forward to seeing these competitors finish strong as the season winds down, but I could not be more proud and impressed with the work ethic, determination, and grit these young men and women have brought to each and every race.”

GIRLS SOCCER IN A TIE

The Winchendon School Varsity Soccer team took on Kents Hill on our home field. Kents Hill was able to get on the board first after a deflected shot went off of a Winchendon player and into the net. Brenna Hauver stayed strong in net, not letting up any more goals and making nearly 15 saves, two of which were breakaways from when Kents Hill broke from the pack down the field but Hauver remained a brick wall. Winchendon tied the game up with a beautiful play starting from the midfield. Paige Pomerleau fed a beautiful ball down the line towards Kents Hills corner, where Julia Brennan was able to cross the ball to a waiting Sophia Washington who sent the ball home, tying the game 1-1.

After 80 minutes of play, the game was still tied, sending both teams into a 10 minute overtime. Winchendon stayed strong on their defensive end and had multiple opportunities but Kents Hill was able to match our offensive pressure with their strong defense. 

After 90 minutes of play, the game ended in a 1-1 tie. 

Good Defensive Plays But Girls End in a Loss

Today GVS played away against Tilton. Tilton scored quickly and took a lead in the beginning of the first half until Winch was able to get on the board with a goal from Julia Brennan. Brennan led the goalie to the right of the net and then placed a perfect ball in the far left corner. Pretty quickly after, Paige Pomerleau got on the board with her first goal of the night, which was an almost exact replica of Brennan’s previous goal with the same perfect ball placement in the far left side of the net. 
Winch had some huge defensive plays. Summer was able to back-check and break up a few almost-breakaways, preventing goals. Emma Brennan stood strong in the back end, breaking up runs from Tilton and controlling the ball to create offensive movements. Caitlin O’Connor also came up big in the second half when moved to an outside back. She was able to break up plays, challenge Tilton attackers, and play the ball to our offensive side of the field. 

The lone goal in the second half for Winch came from Pomerleau. Pomerleau was taken down in the 18 during a goal-scoring opportunity, earning her a penalty kick which Pomerleau was able to beat the goalie to the far left side for her second goal of the night. 
Assists go to Julia Brennan, Sophia Washington, and Sami Lester 
Final score was 9-3, Tilton 

Girls Soccer Beats Hyde School

The Girls Varsity Soccer team started out their season with a big 7-0 win vs Hyde in Bath, Maine on Saturday. The team first got on the board from an early goal by Cailtin O’Connor in the First half and from there, the Wapiti really started to run! After 80 minutes from a hard fought battle from Hyde, Winchendon had 7 points on the board, scored by many different players. Brenna Hauver stopped any ball coming her way and finished the game with the season’s first shutout. We now look forward to our next game vs Vermont Academy on Wednesday.

I’m ready to become a role model.”

Dhane came to The Winchendon School’s Massachusetts campus during his first year as a student at The Winchendon School | NYC. What he discovered was an opportunity. Dhane was a trailblazing student at Winchendon’s New York campus, but now he’s jumping into his first semester as a boarding student and ready to change the game.

“My alarm is really loud.”

Dhane was struggling to find motivation. Back home, when his mom would wake him up for school in the morning, he’d often find himself falling back asleep. Now, without his mother on campus he needed to find it within himself to be up early for morning practices.

Today, Dhane can be seen walking to class in his Howard University sweatshirt, a signifier of his big ambitions. He’s hard at work in all of his classes, as Winchendon’s rigorous curriculum and robust teacher feedback system are helping him prepare for college. His love for street art continues to grow, as he enjoys the true individuality and expressiveness that graffiti art can display at its best. On the basketball court, Dhane is relishing what he calls “the first professional environment I’ve been in”, where Coach Kehoe is helping to mold him into a quick-footed point guard with great passes and an indefatigable motor.

At the end of each day, Dhane goes to sleep looking at the mural he created, with three words prominently displayed: “Change The Game.” He can’t wait to step into the spotlight, and Winchendon is helping him prepare.

Student Voices: Iliana – In Her Own Words

What’s “the Winch Way?” It’s a way for students to have a voice in their education, like Iliana.

At the Winchendon School, just like other independent schools, students are asked to participate in after-school activities, helping to provide the rounded education independent schools are known and sought for, and in most cases, students are expected to include an athletic offering in their afternoon activities.

At The Winchendon School, we give students the time and space to pursue their passions, which recently have included, fencing, gymnastics at the national competition level, figure skating, dance (now offered on campus), and previous equestrians.

Here, Iliana B. ’25 thanks the School for providing her the time and space to pursue her emerging passion in horseback riding.

Disclaimer: This movie uses videos of Iliana, supplied by Iliana cut with generic footage. The text is from a letter Iliana wrote to The Winchendon School. Used with permission.

“I wanted to give you all a special thank you for allowing me to do what I love to do: Riding and working with horses. I am ever so grateful that you were able to put things together…to allow me to ride horses and count it as my after-school sport credit.

Before school started I was given the opportunity to assist in the training of a horse with a bad attitude. Her name is Liberty and she is a 14-year-old mare who was bought by a nice man named Paul. Unfortunately, Paul is a beginner in riding, and because Liberty was still new to having a human on her back, she instantly became a danger to Paul and herself.  Anytime Paul would mount or ask her to do something such as move backward or go up into a trot, she would buck, rear, and throw her head until he came off her back. On several occasions, he was kicked, bitten, and she nearly flipped over entirely on him. But you see, Liberty doesn’t just act this way for fun. Before Liberty was bought by Paul, she suffered from neglect for the last 7 years. After Paul rescued her, he spent some time riding her and realized he needed help. She was then brought to board at a nearby stable where I was given the opportunity to train her. 

Let’s just say the first days were complicated. Keeping her moving, lateral movement, and lots of leading around were required groundwork to get her to trust me. When I finally mounted, the slightest feel of my foot on her side would make her kick out sharply at me or anyone around us. After 2 weeks of my collaboration with Liberty and guidance from my riding teacher, she has had major improvements. When school started I was afraid that everything I had worked on with her would waste away if she was left out to sit in a field without being ridden and worked. Fortunately, because of your actions to let me go back and work with her again, I was able to ride Liberty on Thursday and yesterday afternoon. She has improved dramatically: Younger kids are allowed to mount and walk with her, Paul, her owner, has started taking her out on fast-paced rides, and even I have raced her through the trails in the woods myself.

Have a passion you want to pursue? We get that. Call us to begin a conversation about how we can help you reach your goals. 978-297-4476.

logo