For as long as anyone can remember, members of the graduating class have worn "senior sweatshirts" as a visible way to commemorate the final days of their time on the Hilltop. The sweatshirts are black. On the front the Pomfret crest is emblazoned with the words Pomfret School Senior. The back is personalized, most often with a student’s last name or nickname, and their class year. Until the late 2010s, these sweatshirts typically followed their student home after graduation. But starting around 2017, a few seniors began passing down their sweatshirts to carefully chosen underclassmen as a symbol of their friendship and mentorship. 

Reese Kelley ’26 has already passed her sweatshirt down to Charlotte Peltz ’28. “She is truly the closest thing I have ever had to a sister. She is the type of friend that everyone needs in their lives,” shares Reese. “Though she is younger than me, I look up to her in so many ways.”

For Boubacar Bah ’26, the sweatshirts are a reminder that his friends are a call or text away. He received a hoodie from Daniel Onwuka ’24 and one from James Romps ’25, and when he wears them he is reminded to reach out and ask for advice. “Passing the hoodie gives the underclassmen a way to stay connected to you even if you don’t talk as much after graduation,” says Boubacar. He is still deciding on who to pass his hoodie down to.

Some seniors have personalized the tradition. Georgie Blanchard ’26 was really close to Elsa Molinari ’25. She recalls Elsa asking her what size sweatshirt she should order since she planned to give it to her. “When Elsa gave me her sweatshirt, she wrote me a handwritten note,” recalls Georgie. “When I gave my sweatshirt to Chloe Martin ’27, I wrote her a note too.”  

Other seniors surprise their friends with their senior sweatshirt, like Mya Rodriguez ’26, who announced in her Senior Chapel Talk that she was passing her hoodie down to Feeny Moskowitz ’28. The two became close friends when they went on the Wild Galápagos experiential education trip together. Mya originally told Feeny that she planned to keep the sweatshirt for herself, but surprised her during the shout-outs at the end of her speech. "I was excited to learn Mya was going to give me her sweatshirt," says Feeny. "It's such an awesome boarding school tradition and develops a big sister, little sister connection." After Mya handed down her sweatshirt, Feeny has been wearing it on every Griffin Pride Dress day.

Floss Wilson ’26 has both of her sisters’, Belles ’20 and Minty ’21, sweatshirts. “I love the tradition and think it is such a big part of the Pomfret Experience. I think the idea of keeping a piece of the people who move on, and following in their path by continuing the tradition, is such a sweet and personal concept.” That being said, she is considering returning the favor and giving her sweatshirt to her sisters. 

Whether seniors pass them down or keep them for themselves, the senior sweatshirt tradition is a unique thread that connects and sustains friends and unites the Pomfret community long after they have left the Hilltop.  

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