A Traditional Commencement

When Colorado Academy planners imagine the perfect Commencement, they dream about a day like June 2, 2022— sunshine, blue sky, no wind, and moderate temperatures. Even better, this was a day when Commencement returned to beloved traditions which had been disrupted by two years of COVID-19 changes. Families gathered on the west lawn of Welborn House (not in their cars for a parade, as they did in 2020, not on Firman Field in socially distanced groups, as in 2021), and they watched 99 members of the Class of 2022 each stand with pride as they were honored by Head of School Dr. Mike Davis.

The CA mission in the future

Chair of the CA Board of Trustees Erika Hollis greeted families and friends of the graduates. Evoking her own life experience, she reminded the Class of 2022 that the future professional plans they have today may change—more than once. She urged the students to “take the time to reflect on life.”

“What are you grateful for?” she asked them to consider. “How do you want to be viewed by the world, and how do you want to view others?”

Solving the puzzle

Head of School Dr. Mike Davis reminded this graduating class that they are special to him because he had started at CA with them 14 years ago. He acknowledged that the global pandemic “transformed your lives.” But he emphasized the ways that students in this class persevered, despite the many disruptions. “Your leadership and tone have been so critical for saving the core aspects of our student culture: courage and kindness,” he said. “You helped set the tone in the classrooms, the Community Leadership Team, in Senior Speeches, in athletics, and the arts.” Davis pointed out the unique relaxing hobby this class adopted—collaborating on complex jigsaw puzzles in the Senior Lounge. He used the puzzles to draw a lesson for students’ lives.

“As many of you worked out puzzles in that Senior Lounge, you looked at every piece from every angle to try to put it all together. If you think about the major societal issues you will confront, I hope you do the same. Take that piece, turn it upside down and sideways. Question it. And figure out how it fits. “I am so proud of you, and I am so proud to have been part of your educational journey. You are a remarkable group of students who have steadied our ship and brought joy back to our community.”

Maude Tetzeli, Elected Student Speaker

Senior Maude Tetzeli, the speaker elected by her classmates, perfectly captured the personalities and memories of her class. She paid tribute to faculty and staff as unsung heroes who had helped her and her class get through their years at CA. She compared the Class of 2022 to their mascot, the mustang. “We are mustangs through and through, and we always will be,” she said. “CA’s mission calls us to be curious, kind, courageous, and adventurous learners and leaders. I don’t think our purpose needs to change just because we are graduating. Just like the horses we are named after, we will go forward with the powerful combination of fierce individuality and knowledge that we always have a herd behind us. We are the Mustang Class of 2022.” The Commencement ceremony ended with traditional tributes to the accomplishments of each individual student, just before they accepted their CA-red diplomas. Then, the celebrating and picture-taking began, on a perfect Commencement Day! n