There was no shortage of impressive accomplishments to celebrate at Newark Academy’s 2026 Alumni Awards Ceremony. The evening honored leaders in business and the arts, record-setting athletes, an accomplished actor and a beloved longtime educator. But as each honoree took the podium, the conversation kept returning to something less tangible: the people and experiences that made Newark Academy feel like home.

Head of School Tom Ashburn opened the evening by reflecting on the connection alumni continue to feel to NA and the gratitude they carry for the education and relationships they found here. He described the honorees as examples of the “generosity of spirit” at the heart of the school’s mission, and people who have taken their experiences at Newark Academy and used them to make a difference beyond its walls.

That idea echoed throughout the night.

Tom presented Jeffrey Cohen ’81 with the Fulton H. MacArthur Award for Distinguished Service to Newark Academy. Jeff’s connection to the school stretches across generations— his father, Harvey, served on the Board of Trustees in the 1980s, and Jeff later continued that tradition as a member of the Board of Trustees Executive Committee and through his philanthropic support of NA.

For Jeff, giving back has always been a response to what the school gave his family. “I’ve always felt that Newark Academy gave so much more to me and my family than I could ever give back,” he said.

The mood shifted easily from heartfelt to humorous when Evan Nisenson ’99, Director of Alumni Relations & Giving, introduced Asher Grodman ’06 for the Alumni Achievement Award. Long before audiences knew Asher as Trevor on the CBS comedy Ghosts, Newark Academy knew him as a record-setting fencer and performer. He captained the fencing team and finished his NA career with 250 foil victories before building a career across television, theater, filmmaking and teaching.

His remarks, however, focused less on professional success and instead on the relationships that sustained him through years of uncertainty as an actor. Trevor reflected, “At the end of the day, your relationships and your friendships are the things that make everything rich.”

That emphasis on connection carried into the presentation of the Alumni Artistic Achievement Award to Annamaria Stefanelli ’76, who returned to campus during her 50th Reunion. Presented by Alumni Board of Governors President Rebecca Moll Freed ’94, the award recognized a career that has included more than 500 performances as a lyric soprano, along with work as a director, playwright, poet, songwriter, editor and educator. Annamaria has also worked to introduce new audiences to opera, including through Opera Fun, an educational program that has reached more than 1,000 students.

For Annamaria, the connection between her NA experience and her life’s work was clear: “Newark Academy made a difference in my life, and it allowed me to make a difference for other people,” she said.

The evening then turned to athletics, beginning with Alexa Gruber Kitchin ’08, inducted into the Hall of Fame by former coach and current Associate Athletic Director Liz Bona-Beach. A 12-time varsity letter winner in volleyball, basketball and lacrosse, Alexa became the first female NA athlete since 1978 to reach that milestone. She also finished her lacrosse career with 181 goals, a school record that stood for 16 years.

Although her competitive athletic career ended after high school as she pursued dentistry, Alexa said the lessons remained with her. “Looking back, I realized just how much being a student-athlete here prepared me for everything that came afterwards,” she said. The discipline of always being “in season,” she noted, taught her to work hard, manage a demanding schedule, remain accountable to others and understand what it means to be part of a team.

The second Athletic Hall of Fame induction brought another relationship full circle. Athletic Director Dave Pasquale introduced Brad Greenman ’01, whom he first coached nearly 30 years ago. Brad became the first athlete in Newark Academy history to record both 1,000 career basketball points and 100 career baseball hits, helping elevate NA’s basketball program from a two-win team into one competing for championships. He later built a career in coaching and athletic administration, carrying those lessons into his own work with student-athletes.

Brad’s remarks centered on the coaches, teammates, friends and family who made Newark Academy meaningful long after the games ended. Near the close, he summed it up simply: “Right now I am just incredibly grateful for this community and for everything that Newark Academy gave me, and I will forever be a Minuteman.”

That sense of gratitude extended beyond alumni to the teachers who helped shape their experiences. The evening’s final honor, the Distinguished Faculty Award, was presented by Carol Spooner to longtime arts educator Elaine Brodie. Over three decades, Elaine served as Arts Department Chair, gallery director, teacher, advisor and mentor, helping shape both Newark Academy’s arts program and generations of young artists.

Elaine recalled arriving at NA in 1982 and ultimately spending 30 years sharing the joy of creativity with students. Looking back on the qualities she had tried to instill in them, she realized Newark Academy had given her just as much in return. “What I’ve come to realize looking back is that Newark Academy gave those very same things to me,” she said.

The stories shared throughout the evening of teachers, teammates, friendships, opportunity and giving back, provided a fitting backdrop for another milestone: the introduction of Ad Lumen: The Campaign for Newark Academy.

After several years of building support during its quiet phase, Newark Academy has already raised nearly $25 million toward the campaign’s $30 million goal. The campaign will strengthen the endowment, support exceptional faculty, expand opportunities for students and invest in student-centered spaces across campus.

Its name comes from Newark Academy’s longtime motto, Ad Lumen — toward the light — and reflects the same idea that ran through the evening: the opportunities created at Newark Academy do not end at graduation. They become relationships, careers, passions and, ultimately, something to pass forward to the next generation.