Academy News & Updates | Pinkerton Academy | Derry, NH

Pinkerton Academy Announces Class of 2026 Top 10 Students

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Congratulations to the top ten students from the Class of 2026!

1) Arav Mahajan

2) Boris Hadjiev

3) Yianni Kalampalikis

4) Olof Holmes

5) Rebecca King

6) Jack Welch

7) Brooke Benz

8) Alexander Foti

9) Sophia Cahoon

10) Alyssa Camell

Pinkerton Academy Culinary Program Wins State Competition

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

On March 3rd at Grappone Conference Center, Concord, NH, Pinkerton Academy Culinary students competed in the NH ProStart State Invitational, working in both the culinary and management categories. They ultimately won both categories for the first time in Pinkerton history and will advance to the ProStart National Invitational.

By Lilliana Cunha, '26

The competition is a challenging one, requiring students to collaborate on various aspects of the culinary business.

“Students start by researching and developing a three-course menu composed of an appetizer, entree, and dessert,” said Desjardin. “The team of five students must take into consideration that they only have one hour to prepare two portions of each course using only two portable butane burners.”

Additionally, on the management side, Desjardin explained, “Students must then create a theme and outline their concept, develop a floor plan, specify and generate examples of their decor, perform a SWOT analysis, generate an organizational chart, compose a menu, create and cost recipes, and make and photograph up to four of their menu items.”

After receiving a first-place title in both categories, Desjardin reflected on the moment.

“I couldn't have been more proud of this group of kids,” said Desjardin. “They have all been working so hard preparing since the beginning of December, and the schools they were competing against were all performing on incredibly high levels. It was great to see these students recognized for all of the hard work they put into preparing for states and the feedback they received from all of the judges.”

Students who competed on the culinary team include Laya Brown, Sophia DeAngelo, Megan Delinas, Kiley Hewey, and Presley Nettles; the management team was made up of Gabriella Strabone and Mollie Wheale.

The program was further recognized as Chef Desjardin was recently awarded the NH ProStart Teacher of the Year Award.

The teams will compete at the Pro Start National Invitational in Baltimore, Maryland, in April.

Pinkerton Academy DECA Chapter Performs Well at State Competition

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

New Hampshire DECA hosted its statewide competition February 11–13, with over 750 competitors from 22 schools. Pinkerton Academy’s DECA chapter had 64 students competing and 29 earning 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place in their respective events.

As a result of their performances, 28 Pinkerton students have qualified for DECA’s International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Atlanta, GA this April.

In addition to individual achievements, the Pinkerton DECA Quiz Bowl Team (Natalie Aiossa, Edward Brzezowski, Boris Hadjiev, and Arav Mahajan) won 1st Place, defeating Phillips Exeter in the semifinals and Bedford in the championship round. Campus Corner earned Gold Certification through a written project completed by managers Cali Lockwood, Jeremy Campos, Jadyn Piccolo, and Franco Valverde.

The Pinkerton chapter was also recognized at the highest level for its community service and promotional campaigns, highlighting Pinkerton DECA’s commitment to excellence both in and beyond competition.

The students who placed are listed below. Congratulations to all who participated.

1st Place
Natalie Aiossa – Hotel and Lodging
Boris Hadjiev & Alex Visenescu – Entrepreneurship Team Decision Making
Dylan Haverty & Zach Stagnaro – Marketing Management Team Decision Making
Beckham Moreau – Food Marketing
Zach Stagnaro & Lillian Tabor – Finance Operations Research

2nd Place
Madison Ball – Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research
Madison Ball – Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling
Molly Bhattacharjee & Audrey Howard – Business Law and Ethics Team Decision Making
Edward Brzezowski & Mason Savard – Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research
Jonathan Cunha – Restaurant and Food Service Management
Dylan Haverty – Business Services Operations Research
Lora Kotlyarsky – Retail Merchandising
Kayleigh Lorenzini & Lillian Tabor – Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making
Liam MacDonald – Hotel and Lodging
Paul Vallee – Automotive Services Marketing
Rylan White – Sports and Entertainment Marketing

3rd Place
Jeremy Campos & Franco Valverde – Marketing Management Team Decision Making
Delen Jones – Quick Serve Restaurant
Cali Lockwood – Apparel and Accessories Marketing
Arav Mahajan & Quinn Manning – Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making
Kaleigh Mello – Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research
Jadyn Piccolo – Food Marketing
AvaRose Vallee-Martel – Human Resources
Kameron Waddington – Marketing Communications

Associate Dean of Students Kimberly Larkin named NH Assistant Principal of the Year

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Pinkerton Academy is proud to announce that Associate Dean of Students Kimberly Larkin has been named New Hampshire’s High School Assistant Principal of the Year by the New Hampshire Association of School Principals.

Larkin was nominated by Associate Head of School, Michael Perez, and underwent an intensive selection process that involved written recommendations from students and staff as well as on-campus interviews with colleagues, students and parents.

“We are all extremely proud of the work that Kim does each day to support students and staff. She goes beyond what is expected to meet people where they are and help them succeed,” said Head of School, Timothy Powers. “Kim is most deserving of this recognition.”

Kirsten Soroko Recieves The itste+ascd Making IT Happen Award!

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Congratulations to Kirsten Soroko for receiving NHSTE's iste+ascd Making IT Happen Award!

This honor recognizes educational leaders who go above and beyond to expand and enhance digital learning opportunities for students. Thank you, Kirsten, for inspiring and empowering Pinkerton students to achieve their academic goals.

We are so proud of you!

From Idea to Reality: The Astros’ Closet Is Officially Open!

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Back in fall 2022, members of the Key Club and the Curriculum Instruction and Assessment (CIA) Teacher Sub-Committee came together with a shared goal: to create an on-campus shop providing free resources for Pinkerton families. Clothing, shoes, formal attire, accessories, and hygiene products were all donated by members of the local community in support of this effort. Students from various clubs and classes, along with teachers, alumni, and local businesses, contributed their time, energy, and resources to help bring this idea to life.

Located in the former girls’ PE locker room, the Astros’ Closet was transformed through months of cleaning, painting, crafting, and organizing. The space now includes shelves, racks, mirrors, and changing rooms. The Astros’ Closet is currently accepting donations of clean or gently used winter gear, including teen-friendly coats, hats, leggings, and gloves.

Whether someone is in need of everyday items, a new outfit, or clothing for a class requirement or special event, the Astros’ Closet offers resources for everyone!

We sincerely appreciate everyone who helped make this project possible. Learn more about the process behind Astros’ Closet below.

Astros' Closet Timeline

If you’re interested in donating items or visiting the shop, please contact Brenda Stribling at bstribling@pinkertonacademy.org.

Picture Retake Information

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Picture Retake Day will take place on November 3rd from 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM in the Stockbridge Theatre Lobby.

Student Safety Night

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Join us on October 23rd from 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. in the Stockbridge Theatre for Student Safety Night!

Freshman Reception

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Join us for Freshman Reception on October 9th from 6:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. in the Hackler Gym! The event is free for the Class of 2029.

Meet the Teachers - September 24, 2025

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Meet the Teachers Event
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
1:00-3:00 p.m. and 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Pinkerton Academy will host the Meet Teachers Event (formerly known as Open House) on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. The purpose of this afternoon/evening is to give families the opportunity to meet briefly (less than 5 minutes) with their students’ teachers to discuss expectations and class procedures for the upcoming semester/year. Due to the large number of parents/guardians who visit the Academy during the Meet the Teachers Event, please do not expect to have lengthy teacher conferences. If you wish to speak with a teacher at length, please arrange for a follow-up conference. If someone is meeting with the teacher when you arrive, it would be appreciated if you would wait outside the classroom until the existing meeting has concluded.

The school counselors welcome you to stop in during the Meet the Teachers Event to meet your student’s counselor and get information about the services they can provide you and your student throughout the year. The freshman counseling office is located on the first floor of the Academy Building. The counseling office for sophomores, juniors, and seniors is located on the 3rd floor of the Low Building.

NCAA Presentation - Session #1 - 1:15pm., Session #2 - 6:00 p.m. Presenters: Brian O’Reilly, Athletic Director, Mike Dunham, Head Basketball Coach, Grant Frohock, School Counseling. These presentations take place in the Academy Building Lecture Hall (across from the cafeteria).

ASPEN ACCOUNTS – For parents/guardians who have questions regarding an ASPEN account, Mr. P. O’Reilly will be available to assist you in the Media Center (6108) in the Academy Building during both sessions.

Students will be released at 12:23 p.m. on September 24. There will be two visitation sessions: 1:00-3:00 p.m. and 5:00-7:00 p.m. Parents/guardians of students from all grades are invited to this event. In an attempt to prevent long lines, we ask parents of freshmen whose last names begin with A–J to visit English teachers between 1:00 & 2:00 or 5:00 & 6:00 p.m. and then move to other subjects. Parents of freshmen whose last names begin with K–Z should visit Math/Algebra teachers between 1:00 & 2:00 or 5:00 & 6:00 p.m. before moving on to other subjects.

You will find it helpful to sit down with your child and map out a visitation route that will help keep you from having to travel back and forth across the campus. There is a list of locations and a campus map linked below.

Thank you for your cooperation, and we look forward to seeing you!

Staff Locations

Campus Map