By Kaitlin Kelly
On Friday, June 7th, 28 ninth graders from New Canaan Country School’s (NCCS) 2024 class moved on to the next step of their academic journeys.
It was a beautiful and cloudless early summer morning for NCCS’s graduation ceremony, which began with an introduction of the graduates, where each student walked out to their spots on the stage. After which, Head of School Aaron Cooper welcomed family, friends, and alumni to join together in celebrating the young graduates.
After Cooper’s warm welcome, Opal Thompson, one of the two graduates who spoke at the ceremony, gave the Class Salutation. Opal was voted on by her fellow students to give this Salutation speech on behalf of their class. In her Salutation, Thompson thanked the teachers and staff for providing them with an amazing experience, “When we think of all that we have accomplished, we should be proud.”
Thompson then gave their class an overarching theme describing the class as a whole. She thoughtfully compared the group of 28 students to a “Music album,” discussing how an album is composed of many different songs with different sounds, that all share an overarching theme and story. She went on to explain how each of the 28 students are different songs, but share similarities that bring them together. “Although we are different, collectively, we have accomplished great things,” Thompson said.
“Slipping Through My Fingers” from Mamma Mia was then performed by NCCS’s first grade class, with solo performances from graduates Michaela Springer and Lily Arneill. The song articulates the passage of time from a parent’s perspective, and you could see some parents in the crowd wiping their tears during the performance.
The second graduate to speak was James Moody, who gave the Class Reflection, where he spoke about his time at NCCS. Throughout their time at NCCS, the students were asked to reflect on classes and activities, and Moody was chosen to reflect on his NCCS experience as a whole. He offered an answer to a question frequently posed by friends and family: “Why do you choose to be at country school?” His answer touched on growth and progression. According to Moody, “[NCCS] has offered us an academic environment in which we can encourage each other to excel and work hard to achieve our goals.”
Stated Moody, “One striking example is the progression of our public speaking.” Moody discussed how the NCCS curriculum worked to make each of the students strong public speakers through their emphasis on peer and group speeches.
Head of School, Aaron Cooper then gave a speech acknowledging the class’s achievements. In his speech he discussed the great challenges NCCS had given the graduates and how it formulated the grit they have today. He spoke about how a group of the students went on a long and challenging hike up a mountain in the pouring rain. Although the hike was challenging, and the weather was not ideal, Cooper highlighted the importance of that moment in fueling their growth.
“You know how to do hard things,” Cooper stated. He went on to discuss the importance of knowing how to do hard things, and how experiencing them aids in future preparation and approach to more challenging circumstances. Circling back to Thompson’s speech, he emphasized “you are like different songs, but on that mountain, at that time, you came together like a great album.”
Reflecting on their time on the mountain helped Cooper come to the conclusion that the graduating class pushes each other to accomplish collective goals, “The group is only as good as what it accomplishes together.” Cooper concluded his speech by noting his confidence that this class of students will go on to do more hard things, with determination and integrity.
To conclude the ceremony, each student was given a thoughtful analysis of how much they’ve grown during their time at NCCS, and how they have each grown into the young adults they are today. Each graduate received their certificates with smiling faces and departed from the stage in groups of two.
Upon conclusion, the students embraced and congratulated one another on their collective accomplishment.
