UPPER SCHOOL GRADUATION 2015 Donning smiles as bright as the sun that streamed through the windows of the Nicholas Athletic Center, BB&N’s Class of 2015 assumed their place as proud graduates on June 5th at the Upper School graduation. The morning abounded with inspirational and nostalgic sentiments from all who took the podium, especially the three featured speakers: Fuller Winton ’15, Geeta Aiyer (mother of Jaya Aiyer ’15), and Head of School Rebecca T. Upham.
Diarra English ’15 receives her diploma from Head of School Rebecca T. Upham.
In a comical and touching ode to his time at BB&N, Winton referenced many of his classmates, specifically their inimitable attributes and quirks. “Each and every student behind me does something unique or amazing every single day,” Winton said. “They refused to be defined by the typical high school fodder…. Leaving these people will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” Aiyer, the parent speaker for the ceremony, drew from her experiences as an Indian-American immigrant to offer advice to the graduates. Distilling her speech into an “Immigrant’s Guide to the Future,” Aiyer outlined three main points. • “Embrace the hyphen…. It’s fun to color outside the lines sometimes.” • “There are no right answers…. Don’t worry too much about the perfect choice, the best-laid plans can change.”
From left: Alec Gustafson ’15, Daniel Strodel ’16, Sihak Lee ’16, Darrith Phan ’15, Tynan Friend ’15, and Eli Berlin ’16 jazz up.
• “Learn to connect and remain connected…. Learn all your life, meet people where they are with empathy and emotional intelligence.” Head of School Rebecca T. Upham celebrated the Class of 2015 in her remarks, noting the “The esprit de corps of this class has infused the entire Upper School with pride and spirit and good will.” In describing them, she catalogued the soon-to-be graduates as a “smart and talented, friendly and spirited, and distinctly, decidedly, inclusive group. This is a class that has made BB&N a better school. And in so doing, they have earned our respect and captured our hearts.” The ceremony closed with an outstanding student jazz performance of This I Dig of You, featuring horn, piano, drum, and bass solos that would have made Dave Brubeck stand up and howl. The seamless melding of the various instruments perfectly captured the chemistry and melody of the beloved Class of 2015.
28
Mike Stellati ’15 and Emma Herrick ’15 peruse the latest Vanguard after the ceremony.