Boys’ Latin Students Pursuing Excellence Beyond the Classroom

The designation of Williams Scholar is one of Boys’ Latin’s highest academic honors. In order to qualify, students must maintain a cumulative weighted GPA of 3.95 while taking at least three Honors or AP level courses each year and embody the School’s core values (courage, compassion and integrity) and honor code. The Williams Scholars program honors longtime Headmaster Jack Williams’ dedication to Boys’ Latin and emphasis on scholarship by recognizing those BL students who have distinguished themselves through their outstanding academic achievements and commitment to the ideals of the Boys’ Latin community.

Every year, Williams Scholars use funding that accompanies the scholarship to pursue a variety of academic passions. Here are some of their most recent endeavors:

Charlie London '25 took an online course offered by University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Wharton School. The course, called “Future of the Business World,” gave students the chance to participate in simulations in which they made business decisions about fictional companies. For his final project, Charlie worked with students also enrolled in the course to answer the age-old question: what do you do with clothes that are not clean enough to be put away, but not dirty enough to go in the wash? The group created a “smart laundry hamper” to address the issue, even building a model of their product out of toothpicks.

“The best part of the experience was meeting people from all over the world from England and France to China,” said Charlie.

Johannes Matthews '25 participated in the Albrecht Fellowship, run through Baltimore’s World Trade Center Institute (WTCI). The program is designed to prepare students for careers in global business. Each weekly session had a different topic - “immigration,” “sustainability,” “technology,” among others - and featured a combination of lessons, group activities, and guest lectures pertaining to that topic. Sessions took place at a variety of different locations, including Goucher College and the State Department, which students were allowed to tour.

“I got a lot out of [the program] and grew both my personal network and several skills relating to fields like cross-cultural competency, and diplomacy,” Johannes reflected, “I also made a lot of friends through the program who are at the top of their respective schools.”

Last summer, Michael Putnick '26 attended the Pre-College Law Program at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He learned important basic legal skills in this prestigious program: how to read court documents and how to understand judicial opinions. Additionally, he enjoyed a taste of the independence that comes with college life. Michael spoke enthusiastically about trying new restaurants in Cambridge, navigating Boston’s mass transit system, and catching a Red Sox game at Fenway Park.

“Being a Williams Scholar means having access to opportunities for academic and personal growth,” Michael said, “The program has opened doors for me and allowed me to participate in a program that has greatly benefited me and bolstered my interest in law.”

For a week in mid-July, Andrew Preller ‘26 lived on the campus of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he attended the Sports Business Institute Pre-College Program. Along with about fifty peers from around the world, Andrew learned about the ins and outs of managing and marketing a professional team. The program included a field trip to ACC headquarters in Charlotte, and lectures from head coaches, marketing directors, team presidents, and other professionals in the field of sports management. During off hours, Andrew had the chance to explore the campus of the school, which he lists among his possible college options.

“Overall I met a lot of new people and made connections that I will use for the rest of my life,” he said.

Marcia Flaherty, upper school English teacher and Williams Scholars program advisor reflected, “I think the importance of the program to our community is that it allows our students to have valuable experiences and validation of their own strengths and weaknesses. It piques their interests and allows them to pursue their passion in a highly academic and motivated way.”