Students and their families enjoyed speeches by La Vina Lowery and Than Healy, as well as by Student Body Co-Presidents Celina Chen and Zander Deutch. Chorus members performed “I Lived,” while the faculty steel pan band, played a festive number, perfectly punctuating the eighth graders’ triumphant moment.

Despite facing unprecedented challenges at the onset of their middle school journey, they have leveraged those experiences as opportunities for growth and connection. They have demonstrated an empathetic response to their peers and teachers, fostering a sense of community that transcends the digital divide of remote learning. 

Than Healy praised the students’ creativity and wit, highlighting their innovative ideas, from a drivable couch to a coded poem, as testaments to their ingenuity and ability to think outside the box. However, he emphasized that the real story of the Class of 2027 is told not only from the individual accomplishments of its 72 students, but from the collective character, resilience, and spirit of the class. He notes, “As impressive as you are in academics, arts, and athletics, it is your nature and character as a class that is what your teachers and I will remember about you.”

Congratulations, Class of 2027, and welcome to the Upper School!

View the photos from this memorable day on our Flickr here.

Watch a video of the festivities below.