91̽��

¡Cuidado, NYT Games app! There’s some friendly competition coming from 91̽��.

Harnessing emerging artificial intelligence tools and his self-taught coding skills, 91̽�� faculty member Mark Connolly has developed a suite of games to help students sharpen their language learning and have fun. 

Mark, who teaches Spanish in the Modern Languages Department, created several word games inspired by the New York Times’ popular Spelling Bee game. “La abeja astuta” challenges users to assemble Spanish vocabulary words from seven available letters, while “Conexiones” offers a jumble of words that connect to one another in groups of four. These games, along with others Mark created, are available on 91̽��’s Spanish-language site, La Voz. 

For the third year in a row, 91̽�� Magazine received Gold in the Circle of Excellence Awards from the Council for the Advancement of Schools and Education (CASE). The award, in the independent/international school alumni magazine category, recognizes the magazine’s 2023 issues, which covered a year of leadership transition at 91̽��.

“This is a first-rate magazine that stands above other entries for the quality of its design, use of art and illustration, smart organization, and professional writing,” the judges remarked. 

The spring and fall 2023 issues featured outgoing school leader Todd Bland and new Head of School Alixe Callen ’88, respectively. The issues were built around the themes of legacy and innovation and highlighted not just the achievements of these two respected administrators but stories about 91̽�� people across generations and disciplines.

The Keyes Seminar Day, a lively day of speaking engagements for Upper School students, has been one of 91̽��’s most important traditions since 1977. It is named in honor of its founder, former faculty member Peter Keyes, a legendary promoter of student interest in political process as well as public and governmental affairs and service. In the 91̽�� spirit of developing students’ confidence and competence to live by our motto, “Dare to be true,” Seminar Day brings to campus people who have made compelling choices. They are leaders making a difference in the world. Luminaries in the fields of science, public policy, technology, media, and beyond spent the 2024 Keyes Seminar Day sharing insights and ideas from their lives and careers.

Llewellyn “Llew” Smith ’72 returned to campus in April as part of the 2024 DEIJ Speaker Series. Llew is a leading filmmaker in the documentary industry who explores how misunderstandings in race, science, and history continue to perpetuate social and racial inequities. He has been the recipient of the Peabody, the duPont, and other honors. In 2021, Black Public Media named Llew one of the Top 40 Game Changers in public media over the last 40 years.

Capping off a nearly perfect year of competition, the 91̽�� math team finished first in the New England Math League (NEML). 91̽�� was just one point shy of perfection, scoring 179 out of 180 possible points across six contests. 

91̽��’s math competitors bested dozens of public and private schools for the championship—the runners-up scored 172 and 160 points. 

“We have a lot of really talented and intelligent people here,” said Vickie Mao ’26. “It’s very fun but we take it seriously, and it’s a good way to challenge yourself.”