Congratulations to Bryn Gillette, who was awarded the 2016 Arditti Fellowship on Saturday, October 15, 2016. This endowed fellowship honors a member of our faculty for “teaching excellence.”
The Arditti Fellowship award was established in 2000 by Edward Arditti ’51 and his son Ted ’94 as a way to honor our teachers for their distinguished work and dedication. Criteria for consideration include outstanding knowledge of one’s field, commitment to our students and the educational program at Trinity-Pawling, and inclusion of new techniques and information in one’s teaching. Members of the faculty nominate the individual who best exemplifies these qualities.
Headmaster Bill Taylor presented the award and said the following of Gillette:
“This honor is bestowed upon you by the recommendation of the faculty, the highest form of professional praise that can be given to a teacher.
Here are some of their comments in support of Bryn’s nomination:
- ‘This teacher simply brings an amazing grace and unsurpassed talent to his craft. He not only helps the boys learn more about themselves and the world around them, but through his experiential learning projects, makes Trinity- Pawling a marquee institution.’
- ‘His comments and his student evaluations evince tremendous progress in thoughtful approaches to current world issues.’
- ‘His passion for teaching and his discipline is highly evident when you walk into one of his classes. Even when he is not in class, his students are highly engaged in the work he has given them to do. He is extremely talented, so his excellence is easily transmitted, but he is so thoughtful in his responses and gives the boys constant and productive feedback that it allows them to stay both inside and outside of the lines in a safe way. They are willing to take risks because they know they will be supported by him.’
- ‘He has brought a breadth of experience from outside of Trinity-Pawling and shared it with everyone here. He has taken the time to educate the faculty, staff and students about living with hope and optimism while surrounded by destruction and poverty.’
- ‘By sharing the ways his professional, creative, and spiritual sides intersect in his work in Haiti, he has illustrated for his students and his colleagues what it means to allow your gifts and talents to flourish through servant-leadership.’
I am privileged to bestow this honor and my gratitude for all that you do for the students and faculty of Trinity-Pawling.”