Upper School Students
From Club Block to Office Hours to Upper School meetings, this page highlights the intentional programming, time, and space created for our students to grow their community, explore their interests (and find new ones!), give and receive feedback, and simply enjoy being a high school student.
JUMP TO
Community Times
Every day offers opportunities to come together, whether in advisory, by grade level, as an Upper School, in affinity spaces, or in clubs. From listening to student bands to hearing outside speakers to engaging in dialogue and reflection to joining a student vs. faculty volleyball game, these moments connect us as a community and create a sense of belonging.
Affinity Groups
To support all students in these endeavors and build an inclusive community, we host gatherings of different affinity groups throughout the year. These voluntary meetings provide students with a safe place to explore identity, discuss and share current events, and encourage and challenge one another. For those who attend, gathering with a group of students who share an important part of their identity while engaging in thought-provoking activities helps frame their experiences at Beaver and the outside community. This cultivates confidence, a sense of belonging, and often translates to engaging in other aspects of school life: academics, sports, the arts, civic engagement, and clubs.
Affinity Groups meet once a week in the Upper School.
In the Upper School, we have affinity groups for:
Adopted
Adopted
Asian, Asian Pacific Island Heritage
Asian, Asian Pacific Island Heritage
Black, African Heritage
Black, African Heritage
Children of Single/Divorced Parents
Children of Single/Divorced Parents
Exploring Christianity
Exploring Christianity
Hispanic, Latinx Heritage
Hispanic, Latinx Heritage
Jewish Heritage
Jewish Heritage
LGBTQIA+
LGBTQIA+
Middle Eastern Heritage
Middle Eastern Heritage
Multiracial Heritage
Multiracial Heritage
Muslim Heritage
Muslim Heritage
White Students Against Racism
White Students Against Racism
South Asian
South Asian
Recent events
Student leaders of the Jewish Cultural Club and Jewish Affinity Group plan Shabbat Lunch for community
Student leaders of the Jewish Cultural Club and Jewish Affinity Group plan Shabbat Lunch for community
Iftar Night Celebration: Muslim Affinity Group leaders plan community gathering
Iftar Night Celebration: Muslim Affinity Group leaders plan community gathering
Day of (no) Silence: Students plan event in solidarity with LGBTQ+ Community
Day of (no) Silence: Students plan event in solidarity with LGBTQ+ Community
Get excited for the Students of Color Mixer!
Get excited for the Students of Color Mixer!
Clubs
The Club experience is designed to empower young people to develop into engaged, thoughtful, and motivated leaders. Students regularly call on the New Basics—creative problem solving, collaboration, iteration, visual communication, empathy, tech & media literacy, and presentation skills—for their ideas to come to life. Faculty advisors help create the conditions in which students can explore their interests and delve deeper into their ideas.
All Clubs meet once per week on Tuesdays from 10:10 to 10:35 a.m. and often outside of that time to work on additional projects. If you were to stop by during Club block you might see students planning trips, preparing speeches, advocating for change, presenting to large audiences, or collaborating with other Clubs. Club leaders attend workshops designed by the Hiatt Center to strengthen leadership skills, set achievable goals, and support the overall development of the individuals and Club. Staff in the Hiatt Center are also available to students for regular consultation.
Acoustic Coffee House
Acoustic Coffee House
Beaver Environmental Action Team
Beaver Environmental Action Team
Beaver Gives Back
Beaver Gives Back
Beaver Spirit
Beaver Spirit
Black Student Union
Black Student Union
Book Club
Book Club
Business and Economics
Business and Economics
Car Club
Car Club
Card Club
Card Club
Cooking
Cooking
Crafting for Good
Crafting for Good
Criminology
Criminology
Debate
Debate
Distributive Educ Clubs America (DECA)
Distributive Educ Clubs America (DECA)
Female Activist & Allies
Female Activist & Allies
Film
Film
First Generation
First Generation
Interior Design
Interior Design
Jewelry Making
Jewelry Making
Jewish Cultural Club
Jewish Cultural Club
Leftist Students' Union
Leftist Students' Union
Math Club
Math Club
Mental Health Aware & Psych
Mental Health Aware & Psych
Model United Nations
Model United Nations
Music Discovery & Analysis
Music Discovery & Analysis
Music Production
Music Production
National Art Honors Society
National Art Honors Society
Neurodiversity Club
Neurodiversity Club
Philosophy Club
Philosophy Club
Pre-Med Club
Pre-Med Club
Robotics Club
Robotics Club
STEM Club
STEM Club
The Beaver Reader
The Beaver Reader
Trivia Club
Trivia Club
Veterinary Club
Veterinary Club
Woodworking Club
Woodworking Club
Yearbook
Yearbook
A few of our favorite Upper School events
On the first Friday of September, each grade starts the school year by connecting and bonding with one another as a class—typically off-campus—for the day.
To kick off senior year, the senior class comes together on the first Friday of the school year at Larz Anderson Park to watch the sunrise as they embark on their final year as high school students.
Harvestfest is an annual athletics event for the entire Beaver community held in early October. Featuring an afternoon of JV and varsity games and matches—and a special night game under the lights on Upper Field—it’s a chance for Beaver fans to come together and cheer on our athletes at the start of the school year. (Not to mention all the food trucks and limited-edition swag!)
This is a tradition for Beaver seniors, where they plan a skit for the entire school, dressed up in costumes. It is a day we truly look forward to each year.
To celebrate the end of the fall term—and the end of the college application process—the seniors come together as a class to express their gratitude for one another and the Beaver community.
A junior vs. senior flag football game in the fall for female-identifying students to celebrate and highlight women in sports.
To start the new year, the Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity Basketball teams compete in back-to-back games. This highly anticipated community event attracts students, families, and alumni home from college for winter break to cheer on the teams and connect.
When the weather begins to warm up, the community comes together to cheer on our varsity spring athletes in back-to-back games. The Beaver Upper School Student Council holds a Pep Rally during the day to build excitement among students, and in the afternoon, there are food trucks, spring swag, and live musical performances.
Student Leaders & Publications
Student Council Representatives are elected leaders who serve as a liaison between the student body & the administration and plan fun events for their class and the Upper School.
2024-2025 Student Officers
Executive Board
Priya DuBois
Priya DuBois
PresidentTimmy Brown
Timmy Brown
Vice PresidentNeal Mahidar
Neal Mahidar
Representative to the Board of TrusteesTrey Walters
Trey Walters
Director of CommunicationsPiera Lebed
Piera Lebed
Treasurer12th Grade Representatives
Lily Wong
Lily Wong
Sienna Proctor
Sienna Proctor
Alex Chang
Alex Chang
11th Grade Representatives
Jasmine Idehen
Jasmine Idehen
Henry Davidson
Henry Davidson
Leili Singer
Leili Singer
10th Grade Representatives
Cesi Kaplan
Cesi Kaplan
Serenity Mingoes
Serenity Mingoes
Andrew Adamic
Andrew Adamic
9th Grade Representatives
Tariq Kasrawi
Tariq Kasrawi
Addie Marsh
Addie Marsh
Reid Bugbee
Reid Bugbee
SBAC (Student Body Advisory Council)
Students in SBAC meet with the Associate Head of School weekly to share their perspectives and work to make changes to life at Beaver.
Admission Ambassadors
Admissions Ambassadors help with Admission Events, give tours, and act as Classroom Greeters. They share their enthusiasm about Beaver with prospective students and parents.
- Related: Hear the Admission Ambassadors talk about their favorite place on campus.
BVR Connects is a program that pairs incoming freshmen with current BVR sophomores and juniors. These BVRConnects Partners welcome 9th-grade students to the community and serve as an informal point of contact. They help new students navigate life in the Upper School—from understanding the schedule to finding their way around campus to learning about the different clubs and groups available. Ninth grade students will meet their BVRConnects Partner during the August advisor conferences for a tour of campus, using their first-day-of-school schedule as a guide. From there, throughout September, students and Partners will check in weekly during 9th Grade Flex Time.
Beaver students produce an online newspaper called The Beaver Reader with new articles published on Thursdays.
The Heliconian, Beaver’s student-produced art and literary magazine, is published once a year in the spring. Coinciding with its release is the Heliconian Coffee House, an open-mic evening of student and faculty readings, music, and art displays.