2024届毕业生毕业典礼，一个永恒的时刻

5月25日上午，即将退休的英语老师斯科特·史蒂文斯站在毕业典礼帐篷的阴影下，打量着台下的学生, families and friends gathering for Westminster’s 136th graduation ceremony.

 

“这是一个永恒的时刻，”他说. “The cycle continues. 我们有另一批优秀的六年级学生，他们有在威斯敏斯特的经历，即将成立. 为他们送行是我的荣幸,” said Stevens, 谁发表了今年的毕业典礼演讲.

 

The weather was idyllic. 那天早上，当113名2024届毕业生走上凯斯天井(Keyes Patio)接受花束和胸花时，迎接他们的是蔚蓝的天空.

 

对于六年级学生来说，这是一个复杂的日子. “I’m feeling bittersweet, but I’m happy that it’s graduation, " said Robert Yalda, Head Prefect, 在库欣大厅外和他的兄弟们合影, Francis and Christian ’22.

 

During his year as Head Prefect, he said he learned to be a better leader and to be more reliable for others. “I am going to miss my classmates, and the faculty,” said Yalda, 今年秋天谁会去波士顿学院.

 

他的同学也表达了类似的感受. “我对即将到来的一切感到非常兴奋,” said Maya Tavares, 当她和同学们排队时. “I will miss the people and the beautiful views we have up on the Hill,” added Mia Davis. “还有食堂的食物，”艾丽·赖克插话说.

 

典礼在毕业典礼帐篷开始, 校长伊莱恩·怀特对学生们和家长们表示欢迎, families, friends, trustees, 教职员工和同学们.  她要求2024届毕业生感谢那些在他们的指导下帮助他们达到生命中这一里程碑的人, love and support.

 

 

 

In his salutary address, 行政长官罗伯特·雅尔达回顾了他作为第四位前任议员来到国会山的情景，反思了今年的主题“参与”.

 

“刚来这里的时候，我很不确定，也很不舒服. 我不知道我是否会有朋友. 我不知道什么时候该说话，该加入什么团体，该去哪里. I felt so uncomfortable, 但我坐在那种不舒服中，我通过寻找可以参与俱乐部和活动的途径来参与,” he said.

 

In September, Yalda challenged the entire community to embrace discomfort rather than shy away from it. “And throughout the year, everyone met this goal, but most importantly the Class of 2024,” he said.

 

2024届毕业生率先提出了促进包容性的倡议, 为重要事业组织资金募集, 并就紧迫问题进行了讨论, 哪些对社区产生了有意义的影响.

 

“Our journey as a class wasn’t just about individual achievements; it was about coming together to create positive change. 我们庆祝彼此的成功, supported each other through challenges and forged bonds that will last a lifetime,” he said.

 

“我们开始了下一段旅程, 虽然听起来很可怕, 我们与同伴建立的纽带将使我们保持联系,” Yalda said. “在不舒服的精神中做你感兴趣的事情. 生活本身就是不确定的，所以在机会消失之前，大胆地接受这种不适. I challenge the Class of 2024, 寻找不适，用勇气充实生活, grace, gratitude and compassion.”

 

 

In his address, 李强纳森在他个人生活的背景下反思了人类对未来与生俱来的忧虑. “我们不习惯考虑结局，”他开始说. “When I was young, I was often petrified of the idea of leaving somewhere or something behind,” he said.

 

He recalled arguing with his mother when she asked him to clean his room during a summer break. At first, he protested saying, “I think it is important to preserve history.” Eventually though he acquiesced, and in the process of cleaning, 他发现了一堆堆腐烂的笔记本, 污损的中学课本, and a heap of heap souvenirs all stacked haphazardly on top of each other.

 

所有这些对他过去的回忆导致了他的焦虑和意识到他需要迈向他生活的新阶段. At the same time, 他很生气，因为他要把过去抛在脑后, 关于失去熟悉的事物和他所珍视的一切.

 

He told his classmates that they, too, 必须面对他们必须前进的现实吗, 离开熟悉的事物，拥抱等待着他们的未来.

 

“Eventually, 总有一天，当我们回首今天的时候，我们会嘲笑自己的忧虑,” he said.

 

“我们希望未来的自己能回忆起我们在这里所做的事情，评论我们焦虑的简单，并对现在的自己开玩笑, ‘You’ve got nothing to worry about!’”

 

But to arrive there, he continued, “我们必须首先踏入广阔而永恒的未知领域. 我们必须首先面对不可避免的终结，它伴随着我们站在生命展开的边缘.

 

“For to be is to become,” he said. “We can shape our future in accordance to how we eventually wish to recall it.”

 

斯科特·史蒂文斯于1983年来到威斯敏斯特大学校园, to teach English, coach hockey and lacrosse, and live in the dormitory. His dedication and commitment to the school continued to flourish after he and his wife, Amy, (他于2022年退休)结婚并开始了共同的生活. They raised their three children on the Hill –– Nick ’07, Abby ’09 and Will ’12. During his tenure, he also served outside the classroom as director of development in what is now the advancement office. In addition to other duties, he coached several sports and started the girls’ Varsity golf team in 2015.

 

“For 41 years, Scott has brought magic to all our lives on this campus through eternal optimism, which graces his work,” said Head of School White.

 

“There are people whom we never want to “graduate” so to speak from this unique world of boarding schools. 斯科特和艾米·史蒂文斯就是其中两个人,” said White prior to announcing a new scholarship that will carry the Stevens family name. Established in 2024 by former trustee Doug Londal and Kristin Londal, parents of Alex ’17, Nate ’19 and Chris ’21, 这项奖学金是为了表彰斯科特和艾米，并以他们的名字命名. 该奖项将颁发给有前途的优秀学生，并代表威斯敏斯特大学的核心价值观, community, balance and involvement.

 

 

Stevens began his address by describing what the campus looked like when he arrived on the Hill in 1983. 它的入口没有那么宏伟, 20世纪50年代风格的直观宿舍和, of course, 校园上空那座臭名昭著的黑水塔. Over the decades that followed, 国会山的生活和学习发生了翻天覆地的变化, too, 学生毕业时是否带着这些故事.

 

“If you arrived in the early 1980,  在那个时代，你必须全天候系着黑领带、系着黄丝带，作为入会仪式的一部分, 每个人都卷起袖子去洗碗, a time when the student gradus list was publicly posted and included two lower level statuses that no longer exist, Infernus and Imus显示哪些学生不及格. 晚饭后，你会和老师们一起喝咖啡，抽烟和烟斗，回顾一天的工作. It was a different time to be sure.”

 

“You, the Class of 2024, 在大流行最严重的时候到达, a crucible of sorts as you began your own remarkable and storied Westminster careers.

 

“Your journey began, as you know first-hand, with your own painful rite of passage into Westminster life — the awkwardness, the restrictions, the isolation, the loneliness, the mental health struggles, the world of Zoom, 集体的不确定性和潜在的恐惧.”

 

But in true Westminster fashion, the Class of 2024, came together, Stevens said,

touching upon the unifying tradition of storytelling in Andrews Memorial Hall. The chapel talks included individual struggles in the first year on campus during the pandemic.  “Nobody is born with grit, 但2024届毕业生在教堂里反思的集体性质令人鼓舞，见证了他们的诚实, courage and wisdom,” he said.

 

“I have had the wonderful good fortune of a life immersed in stories,” he continued.

“Both in real life on the Hill and in the classroom with many of you.”

 

He noted that Westminster has become a more complicated place in which to lead, teach, learn and grow. “With access and exposure to virtually anything just clicks away in the world, 皇冠2021app下载地址被沉重的世界主题轰炸，要学习和考虑熟悉的课程之外的东西. It’s a world that constantly challenges everyone’s ethical, moral, and emotional ecology.  2024届毕业生展现出了惊人的好奇心, 对这些话题感兴趣，有时甚至感动.”

 

Despite those challenges, 教学的回报是一样的, particularly what he called “lift off” moments in the classroom when everything just clicks. As he described, “人们突然产生了共同的好奇心, 挑衅性问题和协作学习, one pulse in rhythm together. A unique chemistry arising out of a shared student experience and an unwavering respect for one another, teachers and students alike. Moments of wonder and bliss.”

 

 “It is my hope that the class of 2024 has enjoyed many of these moments,” he said.  “I know I have.”

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巴特勒奖颁给第三位展现出性格和领导才能的前总统:梅洛迪·艾尔-阿明·斯图尔特

 

The Adams Bowl presented to a Fourth Former who best embodies the qualities of Richard and Barbara Adams, 谁为学校奉献了40多年的服务. 1995年至2011年，芭芭拉在该学院任职, 迪克从1970年到2013年在学院任职:汉娜·莫尔特比

 

The Wilbraham Bowl given to a Fifth Former who best embodies the qualities of Geoffrey Wilbraham, who gave distinguished service to Westminster from 1958-1994: Sophie Grace Peterson

 

Richard K. LeBlond, 二、授予第六个对学术和学校忠诚的校友:翁基米

 

保罗·温希普校友图书奖授予第六位在学校项目和活动的广度和深度上做出不同寻常承诺的校友:玛吉·马奥尼和泰勒·舒斯特

 

Keyes Bowl, 被认为是学校最负盛名的毕业典礼奖, 出现了一位忠心耿耿的第六前任, courage, 领导力和谦逊:威尔斯·埃尔达

 

The newly established 辛普森家庭教与学椅, 由桑迪和加里·辛普森P ' 24捐赠, lays a foundation for a future Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. 主席认可一位支持所有学生的学术需求和成长的教员:凯利·柯蒂斯, director of learning services.

 

The Swayze Prize 授予一位对皇冠有钱手机app做出杰出贡献的教员:安德里亚·托马斯, associate director of admissions; co-director of student activities

 

The O’Brien Prize 表彰在培养和支持学生方面无私和慷慨的时间和关怀的教师:凯利·沃斯leger, math teacher, coach, 地平线学院院长兼项目总监.

 

 

Head of School White and Chair of the Board of Trustees Renée Lynch Carrel ’84, P’19, ’21, presented diplomas. White then congratulated the Class of 2024 and offered them the same parting gift, 就像她给过去毕业的Martlets一样.

“It’s called Saturday. 你在国会的一部分经历就是了解它的价值, 明年你就可以随心所欲地享受了. Use it well,” she said.

 

Following the ceremony, the graduates participated in the Westminster tradition of passing their diplomas on the Sixth Form Lawn. 他们围成一圈，传递毕业典礼上随机收到的毕业证，直到拿到自己的毕业证. 然后他们走出圆圈，标志着他们的毕业.

 

You can view and download photos here.

 

Watch a recording here.