2024届毕业生毕业典礼，一个永恒的时刻

Retiring English 教er Scott Stevens s太d in the shade of the Commencement Tent on the morning of May 25 和 surveyed the crowd of students, 家庭 和 朋友 gathering for Westminster’s 136th graduation ceremony.

 

“这是一个永恒的时刻，”他说. 这样的循环还在继续. We have another great group of Sixth Formers who have had the Westminster experience 和 are about to be launched. 为他们送行是我的荣幸,史蒂文斯说。, 谁发表了今年的毕业典礼演讲.

 

天气宜人. A cerulean blue sky greeted the 113 members of 2024届毕业生 as they stepped onto Keyes Patio earlier that morning to receive their flower bouquets 和 corsages.

 

对于六年级学生来说，这是一个复杂的日子. “我感觉苦乐参半, 但我很高兴这是毕业典礼, 罗伯特·雅尔达说, 头完美, 在库欣大厅外和他的兄弟们合影, 弗朗西斯和克里斯蒂安22年.

 

在他担任级长期间, he said he learned to be a better leader 和 to be more reliable for others. “我会想念我的同学, 教职员工,雅尔达说, 今年秋天谁会去波士顿学院.

 

他的同学也表达了类似的感受. “我对即将到来的一切感到非常兴奋,玛雅·塔瓦雷斯说, 当她和同学们排队时. “I will miss the people 和 the beautiful views we have up on the Hill,” added Mia Davis. “还有食堂的食物，”艾丽·赖克插话说.

 

典礼在毕业典礼帐篷开始, 校长伊莱恩·怀特对学生们和家长们表示欢迎, 家庭, 朋友, 受托人, 教职员工和同学们.  She asked 2024届毕业生 to recognize the many people who have helped them reach this milestone in their lives with their guidance, 爱与支持.

 

 

 

在他致欢迎辞中, 头完美 Robert Yalda reflected on this year’s theme of “Engagement” by recalling his arrival on the Hill as a Fourth Former.

 

“刚来这里的时候，我很不确定，也很不舒服. 我不知道我是否会有朋友. 我不知道什么时候该说话，该加入什么团体，该去哪里. 我觉得很不舒服, but I sat in that discomfort 和 I engaged by finding avenues of w在这里 I could engage in clubs 和 activities,他说.

 

9月, Yalda challenged the entire 社区 to embrace discomfort rather than shy away from it. “And throughout the year, everyone met this goal, but most importantly 2024届毕业生,他说.

 

2024届毕业生率先提出了促进包容性的倡议, 为重要事业组织资金募集, 并就紧迫问题进行了讨论, 哪些对社区产生了有意义的影响.

 

“Our journey as a class wasn’t just about individual achievements; it was about coming together to create positive change. 我们庆祝彼此的成功, supported each other through challenges 和 forged bonds that will last a lifetime,他说.

 

“我们开始了下一段旅程, 虽然听起来很可怕, 我们与同伴建立的纽带将使我们保持联系,雅尔达说. “在不舒服的精神中做你感兴趣的事情. Life is in在这里ntly uncertain so take that leap of faith 和 embrace that discomfort before the opportunity is gone. 我向2024届毕业生提出挑战, 寻找不适，用勇气充实生活, 格蕾丝, 感恩和同情.”

 

 

在他的演讲中, Johnathan Li reflected on the innately human apprehension of the future within the context of his personal life. “我们不习惯考虑结局，”他开始说. “当我年轻的时候, I was often petrified of the idea of leaving somew在这里 or something behind,他说.

 

He recalled arguing with his mother when she asked him to clean his room during a summer break. At first, he protested saying, “I think it is important to preserve history.尽管最后他还是默许了, 并且在清洗的过程中, 他发现了一堆堆腐烂的笔记本, 污损的中学课本, 和 a heap of heap souvenirs all stacked haphazardly on top of each other.

 

All these mementos of his past led to a surge of anxiety 和 the realization that he needed to step forward into a new stage of his life. 同时, 他很生气，因为他要把过去抛在脑后, 关于失去熟悉的事物和他所珍视的一切.

 

他告诉他的同学他们, 太, 必须面对他们必须前进的现实吗, 离开熟悉的事物，拥抱等待着他们的未来.

 

“最终, we will reach a day when we are able to look back upon today 和 to laugh at ourselves for being so apprehensive,他说.

 

“We will want our future selves to dredge up the memories we have made 在这里 和 remark upon the simplicity of our anxieties 和 to say jokingly to our present selves, “你没什么好担心的!’”

 

但是要到达那里, 他继续说, “我们必须首先踏入广阔而永恒的未知领域. We must first confront the inevitable termination which accompanies st和ing at the frontier of life’s unfolding.

 

“因为存在就是成为，”他说. “We can shape our future in accordance to how we eventually wish to recall it.”

 

斯科特·史蒂文斯于1983年来到365平台大学校园, 教英语, 教练曲棍球和长曲棍球, 住在宿舍. His dedication 和 commitment to the school continued to flourish after he 和 his wife, 艾米, (他于2022年退休)结婚并开始了共同的生活. They raised their three children on the Hill –– Nick ’07, Abby ’09 和 Will ’12. 在他任职期间, he also served outside the classroom as director of development in what is now the advancement office. 除了其他职责, he 教练ed several sports 和 started the girls’ Varsity golf team in 2015.

 

41年来, Scott has brought magic to all our lives on this campus through eternal optimism, 是什么给他的作品增添了光彩,怀特校长说.

 

“T在这里 are people whom we never want to “graduate” so to speak from this unique world of boarding schools. 斯科特和艾米·史蒂文斯就是其中两个人,” said White prior to announcing a new scholarship that will carry the Stevens family name. Established in 2024 by former trustee Doug Londal 和 Kristin Londal, Alex ' 17的父母, 19岁的内特和21岁的克里斯, 这项奖学金是为了表彰斯科特和艾米，并以他们的名字命名. It will be awarded to a deserving student who offers academic promise for the future 和 represents Westminster’s core values of character, 社区, 平衡与参与.

 

 

Stevens began his address by describing what the campus looked like when he arrived on the Hill in 1983. 它的入口没有那么宏伟, 20世纪50年代风格的直观宿舍和, 当然, 校园上空那座臭名昭著的黑水塔. 在接下来的几十年里, 国会山的生活和学习发生了翻天覆地的变化, 太, 学生毕业时是否带着这些故事.

 

“如果你在20世纪80年代初来到这里,  it was a time when you would have had to wear black ties 和 yellow ribbons 24/7 as part of a ritualized initiation, 每个人都卷起袖子去洗碗, 当学生的时候 辞典 list was publicly posted 和 included two lower level statuses that no longer exist, Infernus 和 艾莫斯显示哪些学生不及格. You would partake in Sixth Form Coffee after dinner with faculty to drink coffee 和 smoke cigarettes 和 pipes together 和 review the day. 那肯定是一个不同的时代.”

 

“你, 2024届毕业生, 在大流行最严重的时候到达, a crucible of sorts as you began your own remarkable 和 storied Westminster careers.

 

你的旅程开始了, 大家都知道, with your own painful rite of passage into Westminster life — the awkwardness, 的限制, 隔离, 孤独, 心理健康问题, Zoom的世界, 集体的不确定性和潜在的恐惧.”

 

But in true Westminster fashion, 2024届毕业生, came together, Stevens said,

touching upon the unifying tradition of storytelling in Andrews Memorial Hall. The chapel talks included individual struggles in the first year on campus during the p和emic.  “没有人生来就有勇气, but the collective nature of 2024届毕业生’s chapel reflections were inspiring to witness in their honesty, 勇气与智慧,他说.

 

“I have had the wonderful good fortune of a life immersed in stories,” 他继续说.

“Both in real life on the Hill 和 in the classroom with many of you.”

 

He noted that Westminster has become a more complicated place in which to lead, 教, 学习和成长. “With access 和 exposure to virtually anything just clicks away in the world, our 社区 is bombarded with weighty world topics to learn about 和 also to consider beyond the familiar curriculum. It’s a world that constantly challenges everyone’s ethical, moral, 和 emotional ecology.  The class of 2024 has demonstrated an amazing ability to be curious, 对这些话题感兴趣，有时甚至感动.”

 

尽管有这些挑战, 教学的回报是一样的, particularly what he called “lift off” moments in the classroom when everything just clicks. 正如他所描述的, “人们突然产生了共同的好奇心, 挑衅性问题和协作学习, 一个节奏的脉搏在一起. A unique chemistry arising out of a shared student experience 和 an unwavering respect for one another, 老师和学生都一样. 奇迹和幸福的时刻.”

 

 “It is my hope that the class of 2024 has enjoyed many of these moments,他说.  “我知道我有.”

­

The Butler Bowl awarded to a Third former who demonstrates the traits of character 和 leadership: Melody El-Amin Stewart

 

The Adams Bowl presented to a Fourth Former who best embodies the qualities of Richard 和 Barbara Adams, 谁为学校奉献了40多年的服务. 1995年至2011年，芭芭拉在该学院任职, 迪克从1970年到2013年在学院任职:汉娜·莫尔特比

 

The Wilbraham Bowl given to a Fifth Former who best embodies the qualities of Geoffrey Wilbraham, who gave distinguished service to Westminster from 1958-1994: Sophie 格蕾丝 Peterson

 

理查德·K. LeBlond, II Honor Award given to a Sixth former who exemplifies dedication to academics 和 loyalty to the school: Kimi Weng

 

Paul Winship 校友 Book Prize awarded to the Sixth Former who has made an unusual commitment in breadth 和 depth to school 项目 和 activities: Margee Mahoney 和 Taylor Schuster

 

凯斯碗, 被认为是学校最负盛名的毕业典礼奖, 出现了一位忠心耿耿的第六前任, 勇气, 领导力和谦逊:威尔斯·埃尔达

 

新成立的 辛普森家庭教与学椅, 由桑迪和加里·辛普森P ' 24捐赠, lays a foundation for a future Center for Teaching 和 Learning Excellence. The chair recognizes a faculty member that supports the academic needs 和 growth of all students: Kelly Curtis, 学习服务总监.

 

斯威兹奖 is given to a member of the faculty for outst和ing contributions to the life of the school: Andrea Thomas, associate director of admissions; co-director of student activities

 

奥布莱恩奖 recognizes a faculty member who has been selfless 和 generous with time 和 care in the nurture 和 support of students: Kelly Wosleger, 数学老师, 教练, 地平线学院院长兼项目总监.

 

 

校长 White 和 Chair of the Board of 受托人 Renée Lynch Carrel ’84, P’19, ’21, 提出了文凭. White then congratulated 2024届毕业生 和 offered them the same parting gift, 就像她给过去毕业的Martlets一样.

“这一天叫做星期六. 你在国会的一部分经历就是了解它的价值, 明年你就可以随心所欲地享受了. 好好利用它，”她说.

 

仪式结束后, the graduates participated in the Westminster tradition of passing their diplomas on the Sixth Form Lawn. They formed a circle 和 passed the r和om diplomas they received during the commencement ceremony until they received their own diploma. 然后他们走出圆圈，标志着他们的毕业.

 

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