The Berkeley Carroll Blotter is proud to present its 20th (and last!) weekly newsletter of the 2025-2026 school year! This edition features the standard “5 in news” by Rory O’Connor (‘26), but with a twist! Then, Zofie Mclune (‘27) presents a piece on the different types of students during exam week. Later, in honor of the senior’s last week of school, we have messages from important faculty and other students about the senior class. Lastly, we have a brief editor’s note from our co-editors. Photos from BC photographers are throughout. As always, we thank you for interacting with The Blotter. Happy reading!
Rory O’Connor (‘26)
Senior nights are taking over BC athletics right now. The Boys Varsity Tennis Team, Boys Varsity Baseball Team, Varsity Track, and Girls and Non-Binary Varsity Softball teams recently celebrated their seniors nights, complete with posters, flowers, inside jokes, and awkward childhood photos. Whether they won or lost, the nights were really about celebrating the seniors who’ve spent years showing up to practices, games, and bus rides, with spirit, energy, and determination.
Senior Assassin has officially taken over everyone’s lives. Bedazzled waterguns, ski goggles, tracking devices, tenuous alliances: BC seniors are treating Senior Assassin like it’s a survival show. Seniors who barely interacted before are suddenly teaming up, texting constantly, making alliances, and laughing over near-eliminations and failed plans. Even with strict safety rules and no gameplay during school hours, the competition has brought a weird sense of unity to the grade. The game started with around 70 players, almost the entire senior class, and now only a handful remain: Rainen Barlis, Ethan Johnson, Linus Raphaely, Jaylen Hilario-Peralta, Peter Corwin, and Spencer Gaddie. We’re all holding our breath to see who emerges victorious…
From Jazz Ensemble to Orchestra, the final concerts of the year turned into both virtuosic performances and emotional senior send-offs. The Jazz Combo, Wind Ensemble Chamber Ensemble, Choir, and Orchestra all showed off months of work, and performances were dedicated to graduating seniors.
The Boys Varsity Baseball Team won the ACIS championships against Packer, in a close 3-1 game. Now, they are moving on to the NYSAIS.
The Upper School final dance show sold out last week in record time. Everyone scrambled to get tickets, which sold out in 10 minutes.
Zofie Mclune ‘27
Exam week is a very unique time at school. The hallways get quieter, students suddenly start carrying giant review packets around, and almost everyone looks at least a little stressed. Even people who usually seem relaxed start talking about grades, studying, and how little sleep they got the night before. But, during all the chaos, there are a few classic types of students that appear every single semester.
First, there is the Overachiever. This student has color-coded notes, flashcards, and probably started studying two weeks ago. They always claim they are “definitely failing,” but somehow end up getting a 98 anyway. You can usually spot them reviewing vocabulary during lunch or reminding everyone about assignments that nobody else remembered existed.
Then, there is the Last-Minute Crammer. This person waits until the night before the test to begin studying and tries to learn an entire unit in four hours. They survive on caffeine, panic, and belief. Somehow, despite all the stress, they often manage to pass every exam and repeat the same strategy next semester.
Another common type is the “I’ve Accepted My Fate” student. This person walks into the exam completely calm, mostly because they have already accepted whatever grade they are about to receive. While everyone else is frantically reviewing notes outside the classroom, they just sit there saying, “It is what it is.” Sometimes this confidence is impressive, and sometimes it is slightly concerning.
Of course, there is also the Study Group Leader. They invite six people to study together, but the session quickly turns into talking about everything except the actual exam. After two hours, nobody has learned anything, but everyone somehow knows the latest school drama.
Finally, there is the Sleepless Zombie. This student stayed up way too late studying and now spends the school day staring into space with an energy drink in hand. They forget simple words, almost fall asleep during class, and count down the minutes until exams are finally over.
Even though exam week can be stressful, it also brings out some of the funniest moments of the school year. No matter what type of student you are, everyone is working toward the same goal: surviving finals and making it to summer break.
One of the quiet challenges of working at a school like Berkeley Carroll is the fleeting nature of our time with students. For them these years can feel expansive, nearly a lifetime. For us, they are a brief and meaningful passage. And yet, what a privilege it has been to be part of this particular moment. Though just a small chapter in Berkeley Carroll’s 140-year history, it has been an overwhelming joy to share it with this remarkable graduating class.
There is something undeniably special about them, even if they don’t fully see it yet. Perhaps it’s because they are among the first full classes to come of age after the pandemic, or because they are growing up in a world so saturated with technology that their moments of genuine human connection feel all the more authentic and real. I’ve come to believe it’s a blend of both.
What stands out most is their kindness, their sincerity, and their quiet confidence in what they might accomplish. They carry a sense of possibility that feels both grounded and expansive. My hope is that these qualities, this openness, this generosity of spirit, this belief in themselves remain with them long after they leave Berkeley Carroll, shaping not only what they do and who they become, but the impact I know they continue to leave.
Class of 2026, it has been a sincere pleasure to witness your journey and I cannot wait to follow the next chapter.
- Jamie L. O’Regan, Director of Alumni Relations
…
Dear Class of 2026,
It has been such a joy to watch you go from ninth graders who were just learning how to do school, to juniors and first semester seniors who had it all together…and now in Senior Spring somehow back to learning how to do school??
No, no, I kid, I kid. You all know what to do and how to do it well. You have proven that over the last four years through your intellectual curiosity in the classroom, immense creativity on the stage and in the studio, your leadership of our athletic teams and affinity groups and so many other student endeavors. In addition to being great students, this is a class of great people–the way you have shown up for each other in ways big and small, in moments of joy and moments of extreme hardship. Seniors, my advice to you as you move into the next phase of your lives is to lean into this best version of yourselves. Just as your high school experience was about more than getting into college, your college experiences will be about more than graduate school, internships, and other results-oriented, transactional goals. This is not to minimize the importance of those opportunities, but as you pursue them, let your humanity be your guide. Follow your moral compass and your passions, the things that move and excite you, and the rest—the grades, the connections, the job offers, the good times—will follow.
I am so proud of the people you have become and the bonds that you have formed, and in these final few weeks together I am so excited to celebrate all that you’ve accomplished individually and together.
Much love,
MC
We asked students from different grades and other faculty at Berkeley Carroll to tell us what they are going to miss most about the senior class. Here are some responses:
“I’m going to miss how open the seniors are. They’re a very approachable grade.” - Bryce M. ‘28
“I’m going to miss the spirit that all the seniors bring to the school, and I’m especially going to miss all of my friends who are seniors on my sports teams.” - Mia S. ‘28
“I’m going to miss the creativity. The seniors are very creative, artistic, and expressive in their own way. Even though everyone’s a bit crazy, I’ve loved seeing everyone’s growth.” - Precious
“The thing I’m going to miss most about the Class of 2026 is how they help shape our community and the cohesiveness they’ve built, not only in their own grade but also among the other ones. It’s in a stronger way than I’ve ever seen before.” - Ms. Ryan
“I am going to miss how friendly they are and the support system they bring to the school. They’re definitely role models.” - Dylan L. ‘27
Genevieve Eisner (‘26) and Cleo Logan (‘26), co-editors
We are extremely proud of the work we have been able to accomplish with our incredible Blotter staff this year. Publishing 20 weekly newsletters and three print editions has never been done before, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of so many smart and talented people. First, we would like to thank our senior editors: Rory, Dylan, Mikaela, Zofie, Spencer and Sadie Bell. Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to meet for editor’s meetings, and to write us amazing articles each week. Second, thank you to our Creative Directors, Russell and Kieran, who have worked so hard on designing an amazing format for each one of our print editions. Thank you to our staff writers, who show up with open minds and excitement to our co-curricular meetings, and we hope you all continue writing throughout high school. Thank you to Mackenzi, WK, and Ms. Moore, who take time out of their jam-packed teacher days to edit our articles. We would like to say another big thank you to Peter Rothberg, our parent advisor, who does everything everywhere all of the time. Nothing would be possible without you! Lastly, thank you to all of our readers—parents, faculty, students, etc— because without you, this wouldn’t have been possible! If you like what you read from us this year, keep an eye out for information on joining the Blotter under the leadership of next year’s co-editors-in-chief, Fiona Kay (‘28) and Zofie Mclune (‘27)! Don’t forget to browse the Blotter!
Genevieve and Cleo
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