Hi everyone! I’m so excited to have the opportunity to celebrate one of the most extraordinary classes, the Class of 2024.

I know calling all of you extraordinary might seem like a rather boring description. Maybe I should have pulled up Thesaurus.com while writing this and chosen another word, but I think the adjective suits you all perfectly. For all my four years of high school, I didn’t think the final weeks leading up to graduation would affect me because, as many of you may know, I’m not a very sentimental person. Yet, the Thursday night before Prank Day, as I drove home after decorating the school, it hit me how much I would miss each and every one of you. I was sure I would feel sentimental eventually, likely after graduation, but before was something I never expected. However, thinking back on it, I cannot believe I ever thought that I would not be missing all of you before we even went our separate ways. After all, when I think back on my experience at Stone Ridge, I immediately think of the people I am surrounded by today: scholars, volunteers, artists, advocates, inventors, athletes, and so much more.

The beauty of going to a small school is that you get the chance to talk to all of your classmates. If you haven’t had a class with someone, you probably ended up in a Kairos group with them, sitting next to them on a bus ride to your Social Action site, or crammed up next to them when you joined them to cut the lunch line. No matter how you ended up having your first conversation with a classmate, you always left knowing a bit more about them, and I guarantee you’ve had at least one conversation with everyone here. These conversations, no matter how small, have reminded me of the many amazing qualities this class has. We are empathetic, welcoming, hilarious (if any of you get into stand-up comedy, you’ll see me in the crowd), intelligent, and athletic. These qualities are why I have such fond memories of this class, and they are why you all managed to do the impossible and make me miss you before you were even gone.

"We have all come out of Stone Ridge more resilient than we were before, and it would not have been possible without all of the faculty and staff’s help and genuine care for the quality of our education."

However, after today, we will no longer return here after every weekend. We will no longer be making fond memories at Stone Ridge but at college, internships, clubs, and whatever other activities we choose to invest our time into. Yet, though I will not be along with all of you for the ride, we will still be connected by the bond we have formed by seeing each other at our best and worst these past four years, which is why I know that the memories you will make and the things you will accomplish after today will be amazing.

This is in part because of the unbelievably wonderful personalities graduating today but also the skills Stone Ridge has taught us. I would like to thank all the exceptional teachers at this school. Stone Ridge teachers not only have a strong grasp on the subject they teach but also have a vast breadth of wisdom they are willing to share whenever you stumble into a problem in your personal or academic lives. Though there have been a few days where I know we have all wondered what could possibly be the value of having hours of reading or a test nearly every two weeks for one class, I would not have had it any other way. The rigorous and, at times, seemingly overwhelming education brought us closer together. Together we survived the hard times like the week before any holiday break and college application season, all while juggling multiple sports and a large helping of clubs, jobs, and other activities. Though these challenging weeks every year may have seemed to have no upside at the time, it has made us a community where no one is afraid to engage in the classroom, advocate for themselves, and ask for help. We have all come out of Stone Ridge more resilient than we were before, and it would not have been possible without all of the faculty and staff’s help and genuine care for the quality of our education.

The wonderful future I know is ahead of us is also thanks to all of the family and friends who supported us along the way. Thank you to my parents, who were always willing to drive me to another field hockey practice or to grab ice cream after school. Thank you to my friends, who made sure I maintained a social life. Finally, thank you to all my peers, who made every class one I enjoyed with their incredible wit, humor, and understanding, even if I wasn’t looking forward to coming to school that day. I’m sure every graduate sitting here today has similar thanks for those gathered here to celebrate, so allow me to thank you on their behalf and share in your excitement about what amazing things this class will do in the future.

With all this being said, whether you were here with me from the very beginning 14 years ago (which, fun fact, is about 80% of our lives so far) or you came some time along the way, you each hold a special place in my heart. You will all have that place for years to come, which is why I can confidently say extraordinary is the perfect adjective to describe every one of you. ❤