Graphic by Leah Han ’27/The Choate News
By Elizabeth Burgstahler ’26
What really defines a Choate student? You have probably seen across campus, on Instagram, or on the main page of Choate’s Website, Choate’s use of the phrase “Be Undefinable.” It aims to appeal to the student body, celebrating the different qualities that each individual offers. However, every spring on Prize Day, this sentiment is disregarded. Celebrating specialized students and disadvantaging well-rounded students in the process, Prize Day must be reformed to truly celebrate the excellence of the Choate community.
During my time at Choate, I have earned good grades in all honors classes, participated in enough extracurriculars to fill my nights until study hours, and played a varsity sport while being a part of Arts Concentration. But, who decides whether my schedule is more or less impressive than that of another Choate student? There are people at Choate who dedicate their time to different activities. One student might specialize in an area of academics or athletics whereas other students are fairly well-rounded.
Every year, each department gathers to decide which student achievements are the most valuable to Choate and should be awarded a prize on Prize Day. However, with the large and uniquely composed student body, Prize Day is an oversimplification of excellence at Choate. It is impossible to quantify and compare students’ achievements when they engage in multidisciplinary studies. Furthermore, prizes are picked by faculty and advisors who are biased in their preferences.
Some faculty members have chosen to abstain from the voting process entirely. English teacher Mr. Andy Arcand has abstained from the voting process every year. “Prize Day is an external motivator that makes people who don’t get the prizes feel like they haven’t done much for this school,” he commented.
Ms. Amy Salot, one of the longest-standing faculty members at Choate, noted the changes to Prize Day throughout her years at the School and the traditions associated with the event. She highlighted that Choate has made changes to where the prizes are received and to whom they are given. “Changing the location of prize day and removing the gendered nature of the form prizes has improved the event,” she said, referencing how Choate has stopped giving form-based prizes to one boy and one girl each year.
As a member of the History, Philosophy, Religion, and Social Sciences (HPRSS) Department and a house mentor in McCook, an All Gender House, Ms. Salot believes that Choate has made many improvements to Prize Day by making these structural changes to the event.
In the past few decades, Choate has made considerable efforts to limit the amount of prizes awarded to shorten the ceremony. However, 2023 Prize Day recipient Isabella Wu ’24 believes Prize Day should be more inclusive. She would like the event to prepare more prizes, and said, “Cutting down the amount of prizes makes the whole event more exclusionary.”
On the other hand, Elle Hardy ’26 thinks that the balance between the prizes awarded by different departments is adequate. However, “if you get an award,” Hardy said, “it’s almost worse than not getting one because you constantly feel like you’ve got to go back and live up to getting a prize.”
As this year’s Prize Day approaches and the voting process begins, I encourage the Choate community to think carefully about the ethical ramifications of Prize Day. The event reflects years of tradition at elite institutions around the country, and by no means do I think the day should be eliminated.
Instead, it should be revamped to become a celebration of the multidisciplinary excellence of Choate and the end of an academic school year. Impactful solutions include capping the number of prizes that can be awarded to an individual and allowing students to influence the selection of prizes for effective student leadership and positive community impact. By acknowledging the negative impacts of Prize Day and pursuing reforms, Choate can maintain a cherished tradition while reflecting students’ diverse range of achievements.
