The annual Lifers Celebration, held on April 30, 2025, in Hajjar Auditorium, is a special dinner and ceremony honoring graduating seniors who have been students in all three divisions at D-E. This year’s cohort includes 30 lifelong learners.
Upper School (US) Principal Kim Lalli introduced each student by reading portions of the humorous and often-prescient teacher comments they received while in the Lower School (LS). For example, we learned that Maddy Miglietta ’25 used to make stress balls for her fourth-grade classmates and Wyatt Obergfoll ’25 wrote an “All About Zebras” book as part of a LS project, which he still remembers!
As is D-E tradition, students then came up to the podium to say a few words about the faculty and staff members who played an integral role in their journeys at D-E. The anecdotes ranged from candid and comical to heartfelt and nostalgic. Each honoree received a mug that either read “Proud to Be a D-E Lifer” or “Honored By a D-E Lifer.”
“It’s remarkable how big the groups are now,” said Ms. Lalli, when asked what was noteworthy about this year’s event.
“For teachers to come and be feted [by their former students] is pretty great.”
Among the memorable moments:
Alia Saphier ’25 told those gathered that US Spanish Teacher Abby Kanter taught her about “literature and life.”
Red Nochomovitz ’25 described US History Teacher Joy Ambler as an important mentor in their life, remarking, “I can be unapologetically myself with you.”
Vir Juneja ’25 said Music Teacher Rob DeBellis’s Jazz Workshop “reignited my love of music” and in the years to follow Mr. DeBellis “pushed me as a musician and as a person.”
US English Teacher Diane Christian “created a space where Advisory…felt like a second family,” according to Alan Thompson ’25.
Len Glozman ’25 and Quentin Ata Nicolas-Manav ’25 jointly honored US French Teacher Renee-Claire Pritchard, whose key lessons included “listening to understand.”
Of Grade 3 Teacher Michelle Sussmann, Lisa Lihanda ’25 said she “helped me discover my passion for giving back.”
Interim Head of School Preeti Fibiger summed it up beautifully when she described the evening as
“a tribute to not only the years you spent here [at D-E], but also to the lasting impact you made along the way… Your shared journey is what makes this community so strong.”
