Holderness School

09/02/2026

Ask most students what sets Holderness apart and you’ll hear the same word time and time again: community. We can’t think of a better example of that than yesterday, when Senior Leaders and faculty welcomed new students to campus. Welcome to Holderness!

09/01/2026

What a day! Today we welcomed our new students and their families into the Holderness community. This afternoon, students left campus with their O-Hike groups for two days of adventure in the White Mountains. Let’s go Bulls!

08/30/2026

When Bram Hikmate ’22 arrived on campus, Westminster University did not have a freeski team. Seeing the opportunity to continue competing in the sport he loves, with the help of two friends, Bram put together a pitch to begin a freeski team: “It was something I really wanted. I just wasn’t quite done competing.” Read more about Bram, his relentless work to make his vision a reality, and his continued success on the slope at the link below >>

When Bram Hikmate ’22 arrived on campus, Westminster University did not have a freeski team. However, the school did have a competitive snowboard team competing in the United States Collegiate Ski & Snowboard Association (USCSA). Seeing the opportunity to continue competing in the sport he loves, ...

08/29/2026

Senior Leaders are back on campus!! We’re ready for the start of another great school year!

08/27/2026

For Emily Pettengill ’10, therapy doesn’t happen behind a desk; it happens on the trails.

A licensed therapist in Maine, Emily practices walk-and-talk outdoor therapy, using movement and the natural world to help clients navigate anxiety, trauma, depression, relationships, and more.

Her path to becoming a therapist was anything but traditional. From teaching English in Chile to earning her master’s in mental health counseling, Emily embraced the challenges of taking a new path and now helps her clients do the same.

Read Emily’s story on Holderness News and discover how she’s bringing a little more movement and a lot more nature to mental health care.

When a client meets Emily Pettengill ’10 for a therapy session, there’s no telling what they’ll need. Sometimes they’ll need to wear a heavy winter jacket and spikes on their shoes; at other times, bug spray.

08/26/2026

New year, new faces, and new perspectives!

We’re excited to welcome the newest members of the Holderness faculty and staff community. From the classroom to the athletic fields and college counseling, these educators bring new ideas, experiences, and energy to campus—all united by a shared commitment to helping our students become the people the world needs most.

With the start of a new school year rapidly approaching, we are excited to welcome a new class of faculty members to the Holderness School community. This year’s new educators are an especially inspiring group.

08/25/2026

Service at Holderness is more than a requirement; it is part of our founding and embedded in our motto, Pro Deo et Genere Humano: For God and Humankind.

This past year, more than 80 students participated in Service Council programs at Holderness School. The following stats are just a small representation of what they accomplished.

- Contributed over 9,500 hours of service
- Raised $80,000 for local nonprofits
- Prepared and served 2,000 meals
- Supported scholarships
- Led food and clothing drives
- Organized blood drives
- Ensured more than 35 families had food for the summer
- Helped staff and fund a trauma camp in Poland with Common Man for Ukraine for 45 Ukrainian children who lost fathers to war

But the numbers tell only part of the story. In his opinion piece below, rising senior Adrian Lupien explores what happens when service asks us not to lead or fix, but simply to be present for others.

I went to Poland on spring break of my junior year to volunteer at a retreat outside of Krakow for Ukrainian children whose fathers were killed or declared missing while

08/24/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday for our annual Holderness 100 bike ride! A beautiful ride through the White Mountains was highlighted by a stop at Duane Ford's home to refuel and catch up! The ride also served as a fundraiser for the Kelly Brush Foundation, supporting accessibility to adaptive sports.

08/22/2026

Earning the starting goalie job as a freshman for a program with National Championship aspirations, Mia Gonsalves ’25 seized the opportunity, embraced the challenges, and established herself as one of the top goalies in Division III for the Nazareth University Women’s Ice Hockey this year! Read more about Mia, the transition to the collegiate level, and the mindset that helped her find success at the link below >>

Earning the starting goalie job as a freshman for a program with National Championship aspirations, Mia Gonsalves ’25 seized the opportunity, embraced the challenges, and established herself as one of the top goalies in Division III for the Nazareth University Women’s Ice Hockey team.