Black Bear Community Award: KMS Gala Student Volunteers

Please join the KMS community in recognizing outstanding members of our community this week for the Black Bear Community Award! This award is presented by the KMS faculty to individuals who go above and beyond to benefit the many different demographics within our school. These individuals selflessly dedicate their time and energy to improving our community without any expectation of recognition or reward.

We continue to be incredibly grateful and humbled by the level of selfless commitment displayed by so many within our community every day. Their generosity and willingness to contribute positively foster an environment where all may reach their fullest potential, strive for excellence in both personal and professional growth, and help provide the unique opportunities that set KMS apart from other educational and athletic institutions. We are excited to honor several members of our community this week for their incredible contributions to this year’s KMS Winter Gala!

KMS hosted its annual Winter Gala on February 8, 2025. Under the coordination of our Director of Advancement, Robin Debiase, the evening brought together members of our community—both past and present—for a night of celebration. The event highlighted our school, its programs, and the remarkable student-athletes whom our faculty have the pleasure of teaching, coaching, and mentoring each day. It was a truly special evening!

For this week's Black Bear Award, Robin has nominated several students for their volunteerism at the event.

To these individuals, Robin writes:

"I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for your incredible dedication and hard work during the Killington Mountain School Gala. Your commitment to volunteering and helping make the event a huge success truly made a difference, and we could not be more proud of each and every one of you.

Thanks to your support, we raised over $182,000, a record-breaking achievement for our school, and you were at the heart of it all. Whether you helped set up, sold green beads, assisted guests, or ensured everything ran smoothly, your efforts played a critical role in making the evening unforgettable.

As a token of our appreciation, we are thrilled to recognize your outstanding contributions with the Black Bear Award. This award is a symbol of your spirit, teamwork, and commitment to the KMS community. Congratulations to:

Ben Brown, Asa Toms, Krysoff Kunrt, Nic Price, Ryder Anderson, Wyatt Dobs, Andy Caswell, Ashley Petersen, Jaxon Schoenburg, Spencer Claffey, Drew Kelly, Hank Shields, Gabby Capizzi, Gwen Thomas, and Savannah Boevin.

Nic, Ryder, and Andy sold the most beads—56 in total! Well done!

A special recognition goes to Ben, Wyatt, Hank, Jaxon, Gabby, and Ashley, along with their parents, for helping set up and break down the event. Jaxon, Gabby, Hank, and Ashley, along with their parents, carried all the items out of the gala during a snowstorm, helped Chris B. and me load the bus back to KMS, and then even cleaned off my car to make sure I got out safely. Your kindness and dedication did not go unnoticed.

We are incredibly proud to have students like you who give their time and energy to support the success of our school. You are the true embodiment of what it means to be a part of the Killington Mountain School family!

Thank you once again for your amazing work—we couldn’t have done it without you!"

Please join KMS in celebrating these individuals—we are incredibly grateful for you and proud to have you as part of our community! You made a great night even better with your smiles and laughter.