5 minute read
Congratulations to the Class of 2020
noT PicTured cLass oF 2020 seniors
Sylvie Butler, Lila Liebeskind, Elsie Richter, and Fadila Sare
By Emily Cowles
Activists. Performers. Musicians. Dancers. Artists. Writers. Athletes. Scholars. Friends. The class of 2020 represents the best of Brooklyn Friends School. Despite the physical distance that our community endured last spring, we came together to celebrate the 52 members of this extraordinary group of young adults in a myriad of ways. Each celebration recognized the unique members of the class as well as their collaborative positive impact on the BFS community and the legacy that they leave behind.
Each classmate was celebrated individually on the school’s social media channels and weekly E-News. BFS colleagues came together to create the profile for each graduate. Students were celebrated for their athletic and artistic achievements, their activism, their scholarship, their community mindedness, their friendship, and the many different ways that each classmate is unique and contributed to our school life. Our community of social media followers recognized each classmate with supportive messages and cheering emojis. Students and families reshared the posts with their own families and friends.
The classmates of 2020 also each received some Blue Pride to display at their homes! Throughout Brooklyn and beyond, vinyl window decals can be seen demonstrating that a member of the class of 2020 lives there and that our community is proud of them.
An online “kudoboard” was created to honor the class of 2020. Colleagues, families, and friends posted memories, photos, videos, and messages of love for our graduating class.
As a meaningful parting gift and memento, each member of the class of 2020 received a recorded voice message from colleagues. Colleagues read messages of congratulations and care to their students.
On the kudoboard for the class of 2020, former Head of Upper School Lisa Arrastia wrote: “You will forever be the remembered class, not just because of the current historical moment but because of who you have been as individuals and as a student community over the years and because of you, you shall become: courageous, generous spirits compassionate and respectful of different perspectives and willing to listen deeply to understand those who are different from you.” Thank you, class of 2020. You’ve left an indelible mark on the BFS community and we can’t wait to see what you do next.
class of 2020 cAs Projects
Adasa B. & Fadila S. — The Evolution of Hip Hop Workshop Aja M. & Jack B. — Coding for Beginners Workshop Anique E. & Miah P. — Underground Poets: A BFS Slam Poetry Experience Ben F. — Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden Walking Tour Ben R. — Ecorangers Betsy A. & Ethan K.L. — “An Often Overlooked Experience” Transracial Adoption Workshop Cameron W. & Harrison K. — Financial Literacy Workshops Coby W., Sam E., Sam F. — Jewfinity Connection Dylan B. — “Dylan’s Plant-Based Delights” Cookbook Elsie R. & Willa S. — Mug Cake & No-Knead Bread Baking Tutorials Emma S. — Peer Mental Health Support Group Finn S. & Ty S. — Voter Registration Workshop Francisco V., Sebastian B.S., & Walker T. — BFS Indoor Soccer Tournament Gabe D. & Oliver S. — Upper School Chess Gena T. — BFS Bowling Club Jackson K. — Adventurer’s Guild Jesse I. & Mazai A.W. — Home Crafts for Kids Tutorials Jonathan L. & Mohamed F. — Upper School Talent Show Kaley B., Lila L., & Sage G. — Spectrum Identity Discussions Kennedy W. — Quarantine Fashion Show & Digital Catalog Libby S. & Sammi H. — Middle School Tutoring Program Lily E. & Milly B. — Environmental Action StudentLed Activity: 2019 Earth Day Lizzy G. & Jazz H. (‘21) — Upper School Peer Tutoring Program Logan H. — Caste in the Modern World Workshop M. H. — Anonymous Anthology Zine Max B. & Nick D. — Quarantine Cooking Show Milly B. & Otto M. — 2020 Climate Strike & Climate Justice Presentations Nicole A. & Holly H. (‘19) — Young Asian Leadership Alliance (YALA Gala) Conference Nora S. & Salma M. — Homemade Face Mask Tutorial Ryan B.H. — Quarantine Life Podcast Salma B. — “What We Bring” Digital Exhibit Sylvie B. — CAS in the Age of COVID-19 Documentary
PhoTo aBoVe
Salma McLaughlin ’20 with Class of 2020 vinyl decal
class of 2020 admitted schools
(Attending is marked in BOLD) Agnes Scott College Lawrence University Susquehanna University Albright College Lewis & Clark College Temple University Allegheny College Lincoln University The City College of New York Bard College Loyola University Maryland The City University of New Barnard College Loyola University New Orleans York Brooklyn College Baruch College - The City Macalester College The City University of New York
University of New York Marist College College of Staten Island Bennett College McGill University The City University of New Boston Conservatory Merrimack College York Hunter College Boston University Miami University, Oxford The City University of New Bowie State University Middlebury College York Queens College Brandeis University Morgan State University The College of Saint Rose Bucknell University Mount Holyoke College The New School
California State University, Muhlenberg College The Theatre School at
Northridge New York University Depaul University
Champlain College Northeastern University Trinity College Clark Atlanta University Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences Tufts University Clark University Occidental College Tulane University College of Mount Saint Vincent Pennsylvania State University Tyler School of Art Colorado College Quest University Union College Connecticut College Quinnipiac University University of California, Los Angeles Coppin State University Reed College University of California, San Diego CUNY/UAPC Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University of California, Santa Barbara Curry College Rochester Institute of Technology University of Colorado Boulder Delaware State University Roger Williams University University of Denver Denison University Royal Holloway, University of London University of Hartford Dickinson College Rutgers University - New Brunswick University of Maryland, College Park Dillard University Saint Francis College University of Massachusetts, Amherst Drew University Sarah Lawrence College University of Miami
Endicott College Smith College University of San Diego
George Washington University Springfield College University of St. Andrews Goucher College St. Edward’s University University of Sussex Grambling State University St. Lawrence University University of Vermont Guilford College State University of New University of Wisconsin, Madison Hofstra University York at New Paltz Vassar College Hood College Stetson University Washington University in St. Louis Howard University Stony Brook University Wellesley College Indiana University Bloomington SUNY at Albany Wesleyan University Ithaca College SUNY at Buffalo Wheaton College, Massachusetts Juniata College SUNY Binghamton University Whitman College Kalamazoo College SUNY College at Geneseo Whittier College Kenyon College SUNY Fredonia Xavier University of Louisiana King’s College London SUNY Potsdam Kingston University SUNY Purchase College
