A CLASS TO REMEMBER
Updated: Jun 13, 2020
The hugs and tears that typically mark graduation were not as freely and visibly shared this year, but Seabury sent our eighth-graders off with love and pride during our first -- and cross-your-fingers last – distance learning commencement.
Hosted remotely by Zoom instead of the Centre at Norpoint, the ceremony honored nine students – seven of whom attended Seabury from at least the second grade on. Congratulations to (in order of years attended) Karl, Kiefer, Sulli, Zak, Aidan, Luke and Armaan plus Jack and Aristotle.
“They’re a memorable group that I will never forget and want to wish the very best in high school,” said Tiffany Price, assistant head of school.
Let me just say ditto. Four members of the class were kindergartners when I started working at Seabury, so I’ve watched them grow from tots to teens. How can I put this? There was never a dull moment on the playground with this crew, but I feel privileged to have spent time with such bright and engaging kids.
During last Friday’s virtual commencement, each of the nine graduates appeared on the screen individually as middle school teachers Gabrielle Plastrik and Jared MacKenzie shared their thoughts about them.
Every year Seabury presents the Eagle Award to a student who reflects Seabury’s
core values: creativity, agency, empathy, leadership, grit and love of learning. This year’s award went to Luke MacGyver.
OK. So his last name is not MacGyver, but Luke certainly resembles the super-resourceful TV character who was famous for improvising solutions to sticky situations.
“He’s always been a tinkerer, inventor and out-of-the box thinker,” said Ruth Maitlen, one of Luke’s former teachers at the lower school campus.
Never at loss for assorted tools and gadgets, Luke was a human hardware store.
“I always loved to ask him what was in his vest pockets,” said another former teacher, Sheri Towne. “He was always prepared to fix anything and survive anything!”
In middle school Luke become more than the handiest kid in the room. He became a leader – the kind who is heard “not because they are shouting, but because people stop to listen when they talk,” Gabrielle said. “I have watched this student silence a room as others turned to hear him lead.”
Four students – Karl, Kiefer, Sulli and Zak – received Lifer awards for having attended Seabury from at least kindergarten on. Zak received a President’s Education Award for achieving high academic goals through hard work and dedication to learning.
All of our graduates received gift boxes personally delivered by Gabrielle, Jared and Head of School Sandi Wollum. The contents included a certificate, a journal and an alumni T-shirt.
Congratulations to the Class of 2020!