66th Commencement Ceremony
The Class of 2021 I
n a moving ceremony on Saturday, May 29, St. Johns was honored to celebrate the graduation of the 62 members of the Class of 2021. “As I reflect on this past school year, we can talk about the many obstacles, misfortunes, and traditions not kept due to COVID, but instead I will focus on what this past year has given to us all,” said Head of School Valorie Baker, in her opening remarks. “What I’m referring to is grit. And certainly the Class of 2021, and the rest of the student body during this past year, has shown a lot of grit and determination. That grit is a skill that will serve them well as they move past the doors of high school,” said Baker. After the awards presentations, Seniors Gaby Loustau and Ellie Rosenau—elected by their peers to deliver speeches— gave heartfelt talks. Loustau delivered a poem outlining what each of her classmates had taught her over their years together. From hard work and dedication to how to laugh at herself,
22
S T. J O H N S C O U N T R Y D AY S C H O O L M A G A Z I N E
Loustau called each of her fellow seniors out by name with some of their offerings to the demographic of their class. “These past four years have been full of laughs and tears,” she said, as her words were echoed with both laughter and tears from her classmates and the audience, “they’ve been full of success and failures. They have been the most meaningful and memorable years, and I am so fortunate to have experienced them alongside each of you.” A tough act to follow, Rosenau did so with aplomb, invoking the Senior Presentation talk given by senior-elected speaker Mr. Wes Cox. Discussing the merits of swag, she said it is “less about what you look like and more about what you’re made of. It’s not wearing the latest Jordans, it’s showing compassion to someone in need. It’s how you compose yourself, what you do to make a positive difference in this world, and how you handle the inevitable negativity.”
SUMMER 2021
