Kristen Westmoreland ’84, Helena LeComte ’84, Kristine Sjostrom ’84, and Liz Moriarty ’83

The conversation on this particular Sunday morning started with “How about Spain’s women’s soccer team beating England and winning the world cup?” Since 2020, on the last Sunday of each month, these four ladies meet-up virtually to share what is happening in their lives after forming friendships almost forty years ago at Watkinson. They attended the virtual Reunion for alumni from the 80s in the fall of 2020; this was where they first reconnected and decided then and there to do monthly Zooms. They have not missed one month since.  

Kristen Westmoreland ’84, Helena Jacques LeComte ’84, Liz Marandino Moriarty ’83, and Kristine Sjostrom de Arribas ’84 live in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Spain respectively. Yet for one hour every month, they are as connected as any four friends can be.  Their friendship started in the early 80s when all four of them were three-sport athletes at Watkinson; soccer, basketball and softball.  Today they joke about their softball team being the worst team in the league; but they didn’t care because they were having so much fun just being together.  

When asked about the Watkinson experiences that have kept them connected, they were both nostalgic and affectionate.

Liz M.: Coming from a family with five siblings, I felt like Watkinson was my extended family where everyone knew each other and there was no peer pressure and you could be yourself. 

Helena L: It didn’t matter what you were into, everyone accepted each other and we all got along.  The school had an unspoken “we are in this together” motto and shaped me into the person I am today. 

Kristen W. – Without a doubt my Watkinson years were my favorite time of life. It was the one place I felt the most at home, magical almost.  

Kristine S.- I could create a list a mile long of the amazing times at Watkinson, like Mr. Rollins biology class, or the ski trip where the boys dragged a tree into their room and decorated it, or when Helena was my tour guide

They are so grateful for their time at Watkinson and for this long-time friendship that has re-flourished over the past three years. They don’t always talk about Watkinson, but when they do they speak fondly of their time at the school.