Student Awards and Honors
Each spring, at several end-of-year events such as Upper School Awards Day and Founders Day (graduation), the Gilman community publicly and formally recognizes and celebrates outstanding achievement and excellence in athletic competition, academic prowess, the fine and performing arts, and character and service. Because the various awards represent a broad range of disciplines, programs, and areas of school life, so too do they highlight Gilman's belief in developing the whole person in mind, body, and spirit.
Many of these awards were established — and continue to be maintained — through the generosity of individuals, families, and organizations who enable the School to recognize the achievements of our students — thank you!
Founders Day Awards
The following awards represent the highest honors bestowed by the School on students and are presented annually each Founders Day (graduation).
- The William A. Fisher Medallion
- The Daniel Baker, Jr. Memorial Award
- The Peter Parrott Blanchard Award
- The Redmond C. S. Finney Award
- The Edward Fenimore Award
- The William Cabell Bruce, Jr. Athletic Prize
- The William S. Thomas Scholarship Prize (Multiple Awards)
The William A. Fisher Medallion
The Daniel Baker, Jr. Memorial Award
The Peter Parrott Blanchard Award
The Redmond C. S. Finney Award
The Edward Fenimore Award
The William Cabell Bruce, Jr. Athletic Prize
The William S. Thomas Scholarship Prize (Multiple Awards)
Presented at Awards Day
The following awards are traditionally presented annually at Awards Day in the Upper School towards the end of the spring semester.
Awards for Excellence in Athletics
- The Culver Memorial Football Cup
- The C.B. Alexander, Jr. Wrestling Cup
- The Edward T. Russell Wrestling Trophy
- The Class of 1939 Basketball Trophy
- The Tyler Campbell Lacrosse Cup
- The Alumni Baseball Cup
- The C. David Harris, Jr. Tennis Award
- The Donald Hoffman Memorial Cross Country Cup
- The Frank W. Andrews, Jr. Golf Trophy
- The Dr. Philip Whittlesey Soccer Trophy
- The Alfred H. Weems, Jr. Memorial Track Award
- The Margaret V. Perin Swimming Award
- The Creighton Hockey Award
- The Squash Award
- The Indoor Track Award
- The Water Polo Award
- The Volleyball Award
- The Scott B. Deutschman Teammate Award
- C. Markland Kelly, Jr. Athletic Service Award
The Culver Memorial Football Cup
The C.B. Alexander, Jr. Wrestling Cup
The Edward T. Russell Wrestling Trophy
The Class of 1939 Basketball Trophy
The Tyler Campbell Lacrosse Cup
The Alumni Baseball Cup
The C. David Harris, Jr. Tennis Award
The Donald Hoffman Memorial Cross Country Cup
The Frank W. Andrews, Jr. Golf Trophy
The Dr. Philip Whittlesey Soccer Trophy
The Alfred H. Weems, Jr. Memorial Track Award
The Margaret V. Perin Swimming Award
The Creighton Hockey Award
The Squash Award
The Indoor Track Award
The Water Polo Award
The Volleyball Award
The Scott B. Deutschman Teammate Award
C. Markland Kelly, Jr. Athletic Service Award
Awards to Underclassmen for Character and Special Accomplishments
- The Lewis Omer Woodward Award
- The Thomas G. Hardie III Award
- The Adam P. Janet '07 Upper School Award
- The Class of 1973 Alfred H. Weems, Jr. Memorial Award
- The Brown University Alumni Book Award
- The St. John's College Alumni Association Book Award
- The University of Virginia Jefferson Book Award
- The Harvard Book Prize
- The Williams College Book Award
- The Yale Book Prize
- The Princeton Math Prize
The Lewis Omer Woodward Award
The Thomas G. Hardie III Award
The Adam P. Janet '07 Upper School Award
The Class of 1973 Alfred H. Weems, Jr. Memorial Award
The Brown University Alumni Book Award
The St. John's College Alumni Association Book Award
The University of Virginia Jefferson Book Award
The Harvard Book Prize
The Williams College Book Award
The Yale Book Prize
The Princeton Math Prize
Student Exchanges
- The Riepe Family Exchange at Christ's Hospital School
- The Exchange at PORG School in the Czech Republic
- The Exchange with Bishops School in South Africa
- The Exchange with Northlands School in Argentina
- The Exchange with the Antigua International School in Guatemala
The Riepe Family Exchange at Christ's Hospital School
The Exchange at PORG School in the Czech Republic
The Exchange with Bishops School in South Africa
The Exchange with Northlands School in Argentina
The Exchange with the Antigua International School in Guatemala
Creative Writing, Publications, and Debate Prizes
- The Josh T. Miller Creative Writing Prize
- The Armstrong Prizes for Poetry and Prose
- The Cameron Debating Medallion
- The Mrs. J. Crossan Cooper Debating Cup
- The Dr. John M. T. Finney, Sr. Debating Prize
- The Elisabeth Woolsey Gilman Prize
- The Alex Randall, Jr. Memorial Prize
- The Sixth Form Speaking Prizes
The Josh T. Miller Creative Writing Prize
The Armstrong Prizes for Poetry and Prose
The Cameron Debating Medallion
The Mrs. J. Crossan Cooper Debating Cup
The Dr. John M. T. Finney, Sr. Debating Prize
The Elisabeth Woolsey Gilman Prize
The Alex Randall, Jr. Memorial Prize
The Sixth Form Speaking Prizes
Achievement in Various Academic Disciplines
- The D. K. Este Fisher Nature Study Award
- The Janvier Science Prize
- The James L. Sinclair Memorial Award
- The Richard O'Brien Prize
- The Edward T. Russell Latin Prize
- The Patricia Vishio Ancient Greek Language Award
- The Clifford E. Taggart, Jr. Spanish Prize
- The Herbert E. Pickett Prize for General Proficiency in History
The D. K. Este Fisher Nature Study Award
The Janvier Science Prize
The James L. Sinclair Memorial Award
The Richard O'Brien Prize
The Edward T. Russell Latin Prize
The Patricia Vishio Ancient Greek Language Award
The Clifford E. Taggart, Jr. Spanish Prize
The Herbert E. Pickett Prize for General Proficiency in History
Prizes in the Creative Arts
- The Class of 1952 Drama Prize
- The Dorothy Benjamin Caruso Music Award
- The Anne Gordon Baldwin Music Award
- The Andrew Mitchell Ritchie Award
- The Harold Holmes Wrenn Art Prize
- The C. Huntley Hilliard Memorial Award
The Class of 1952 Drama Prize
The Dorothy Benjamin Caruso Music Award
The Anne Gordon Baldwin Music Award
The Andrew Mitchell Ritchie Award
The Harold Holmes Wrenn Art Prize
The C. Huntley Hilliard Memorial Award
Prizes for Community Service
Gilman Faculty Awards
In 1962, Gilman established the Faculty Awards. The Upper School faculty singles out some seniors to whom they feel especially indebted for acts of helpfulness to the School and unsung contributions, which have added significantly to the success of the year.
At Awards Day, the students chosen for this honor are presented, on behalf of the faculty, a framed print of the School as an expression of appreciation for their special examples of positive attitude,motivation, and unsung contributions. Each print bears an individually inscribed citation.
The Cum Laude Society
The Cum Laude Society was founded in 1906 by Dr. Abram W. Harris, the Director of the Tome School in Port Deposit, Maryland. He was determined that scholastic achievement in secondary schools should receive as much recognition as that given to other accomplishments. He envisioned a society modeled on Phi Beta Kappa that encouraged and recognized true scholarship.
The society was first named the Alpha Delta Tau Society. Charters were granted only to schools of the highest academic caliber.
In 1916, when Greek letter societies were becoming increasingly social in nature, the name of the organization was changed to the Cum Laude Society. At that time, the Society became incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland. The Society originally welcomed senior boys. In 1920, membership was extended to girls' schools and to high school juniors.
Gilman School has been a member of the Cum Laude Society since 1952. Ceremonies held each fall and spring allow us to reaffirm our belief in the purpose of the Society — to promote academic excellence and to uphold the spirit of the Society's motto:
- Areté: Excellence both in scholarship and in the moral sense.
- Diké: Justice in all things.
- Timé: Dignity, true worth, and honor.