Homecoming, Reunion Celebrations Reflect True Tiger Spirit

Thayer Academy saw postcard-perfect weather this past weekend as the community enjoyed both Homecoming and Reunion celebrations. 

Homecoming got off to a great start on the afternoon of Sept. 19 as both the girls and boys cross country teams defeated Saint Mark’s School on the Harold B. Hatch Cross Country Course. The meets marked the Tigers’ opening races and the only home races of the season. On the following Saturday (Sept. 20) Thayer teams continued to kick off their ISL seasons with several highlights — most notably, the girls varsity soccer team’s 3-2 victory over Governor’s Academy and the boys varsity soccer team’s 2-2 tie with that same school. 

That Friday night also saw Thayer’s Reunion Celebration begin with An Evening of Alumni Excellence, the well-attended, dual-purpose event held in Cahall Dining Hall. There, the Thayer Academy Alumni Association recognized five distinguished alumni — Dr. Morgan Bowling ’05 (Humanitarian Award); Sarah Cochran Taylor ’00 (Humanitarian Award); Chris Sullivan ’95 P ’28, ’28, ’33 (Achievement Award); Shailesh Shenoy ’90 (Achievement Award); and Lori Tregoning Donnellan ’90 P ’17, ’19, ’21, ’25 (Loyalty Award) — while the Thayer Sports Hall of Fame inducted its Class of 2025: Kelsey Johnson Abrahams ’09 (field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse); Karen Jodoin P ’22 (former head coach of girls varsity basketball); and the 2002 girls track & field team.

In addition to Saturday’s sporting events, Tiger families enjoyed a cornhole tournament and other games; spirit swag; a petting zoo; complimentary concessions; a bake sale; food truck fare; and the sale of limited-edition Thayer merchandise under the Big Tent thanks to the efforts of TAPA (Thayer Academy Parent Association) volunteers. For Reunion classes ending in 0 and 5 there were student-led campus tours, an Alumni Memorial Service, a Reunion Luncheon, and a Reunion 2025 Celebration in the Middle School. The Class of 1975 enjoyed its 50th Reunion Dinner while the Class of 2020 enjoyed a cocktail party in the Middle School’s Thompson Hall.

Photo albums from the weekend can be found here.