A singer, song-writer, piano and guitar player, Jeremy Berkun ’22 says he was always drawn to music. As he approaches college in the fall, music has become more than a hobby. His passion to create and perform have served as a conduit for connecting with others.

When you think of the type of student to graduate from Pine Crest School, the word “dynamic” comes to mind. A Pine Crest student is well-rounded, enthusiastic about learning, and a true scholar. As a yearbook editor, musician, athlete, and polyglot, Emma Gómez ’22 is someone who embodies all of those qualities, and more.

A dancer since the age of three, Sabrina Kreiss ’21 has taken advantage of every dance opportunity available at Pine Crest.

Sumeet Gulati ’19 is known on campus for his energetic Bhangra dance performances with the Indian Heritage Club.

Pine Crest School students are known for their intellect, curiosity, and talents, with recent graduating classes including pilots, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, animal rescue advocates, and more. One Class of 2019 alumna, Britta Strain, adds amateur rodeo champion, professional roper, and future equine radiologist to the long list of students’ diverse interests.

By Grace Pettee ’20

Pursuing science and medicine in high school, Anthony D’Almeida ’10 ultimately found his passion was in entertainment.

Starting at Pine Crest School in pre-kindergarten at the Boca Raton campus, Anthony took advantage of extracurricular activities and immersed himself into the Pine Crest community.

His involvement in drama, chorus, and broadcasting stoked his love for entertainment and performance.

“I had a blast taking drama with Mrs. Blakely and working on PCNN (the Pine Crest News Network) with Mr. Burgess,” said Anthony. “It was awesome having that supportive creative environment in Lower and Middle School.

In Upper School, Anthony joined the Science Research program, a course that gives students an opportunity to pursue group and independent science research projects over the course of three years.

“I remember having to research extensively and often found myself looking to Ms. Gordinier (Upper School Science Instructor) for answers,” said Anthony. “She was the type of teacher who never gave students the direct answers even when they felt they needed it the most. Looking back, her encouraging me to find the information myself has helped me even to this day.”

“I was serious about science research but I did tend to be a bit of a goofball. I loved making people laugh, and ultimately that ended up being the path I took,” said Anthony.

After graduating from Pine Crest, Anthony attended college at the University of Southern California where he studied screenwriting and critical studies at the School of Cinematic Arts.

As an associate producer for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Anthony works closely with Jimmy and his writers, finding funny clips, creating montages and other content for the daily monologue.

Beginning of his day at 6:00 a.m., Anthony brainstorms and researches topics for that night’s show until 5:00 p.m. when they are ready to film. His favorite part of the job? Picking up on a small, funny detail, for instance President Trump’s quirk of moving objects when he sits down at a table, and ultimately seeing it play on TV, go viral, or end up on the nightly news.

Sifting through political and pop culture material on a daily basis, Anthony keeps up with trends and current events that will resonate with the show’s audience.

“It was daunting at first to always be tuned in to news and pop culture at such a detailed level, but eventually it became second nature,” said Anthony.

Looking back on his time as a student and how the Upper School prepared him for life outside of Pine Crest, Anthony said, “I left Upper School with a strong backbone and sense of worldliness. When I got to college, I had peers who had trouble communicating with their professors. For me, this was second nature from working my teachers at Pine Crest.”

As a student, Anthony looks back fondly on his time at PCNN, “anchoring the desk, shooting shows like ‘Design My Locker’ (a version of MTV’s ‘Pimp My Ride’), and hosting a comedy segment called ‘Anthony's Insight.’ I also remember writing and acting in Spring Scenes (a performance of short scenes), especially writing "Topenga's Dike," a spoof of Dawson's Creek with Kelsey Flynn ’09 and Ilana Peña ’09.” 

When asked what advice he would offer to students looking to go into the entertainment industry, Anthony said, “The entertainment industry is based heavily on networking. Many opportunities are not posted publicly on job websites, so getting to know people and asking questions is key. Start lists, include contact info, a short blurb about how you met, and what you talked about. Share your goals and interests, don't be afraid to ask for help, and remember to follow up.”

Cheryl Doolittle has been a treasured member of the Pine Crest School community since 1986.