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Celebrating The Light of Knowledge
n June 7, at the conclusion of a remarkable school year transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the seven members of Shore’s ninth grade Class of 2021 were graduated in front of their families at an intimate evening ceremony in the Trustey Family Theatre. Billed as “Celebrating the Light of Knowledge,” the first-ofits-kind event was designed by the ninth graders themselves, and featured the students as speakers alongside faculty advisors, Head of Upper School Gustavo Carrera, and Head of School Clair Ward. Attendees wore masks and followed other pandemic safety protocols while indoors but, following springtime guidance from the CDC and the State of Massachusetts, were allowed to remove masks to gather in Shore’s Learning Garden following the ceremony. The event began in Shore’s ninth grade dining room, where
Candles played a central role in the ninth graders’ celebration.
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SHORE BU LLET IN FA LL 2021
“Tonight’s ceremony is inspired by the words of Margaret Fuller: ‘If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.’” Ninth graders posed for a photo in front of the historic Winslow Building.
the students received white roses before posing together for a group photo on the steps of the historic Winslow Building. They then walked to the Center for Creativity, where their families had gathered. Each student was limited to six guests, which enabled family
—Gustavo Carrera, Head of Upper School
groups to remain socially distanced once seated in the theater. The ceremony commenced with a recording of the traditional graduation processional, “Pomp and Circumstance,” after which Gustavo Carrera welcomed attendees. “Tonight’s ceremony is inspired by the words of Margaret Fuller,” said Carrera. “‘If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.’ Margaret Fuller, a native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, believed in the transformative impact of education. But Fuller also knew that the knowledge that we gain from our education is more than just expertise. It is about the character we build, a process that starts at school but continues for the rest of our lives.” Carrera spoke of Fuller’s career, first as an educator and writer, and later as an advocate for women. “There is no doubt that learning illuminates the mind and enhances perspective—it has been our pleasure to watch tonight’s graduates growing and
