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Fort Worth Country Day’s Class of 2024
The Class of 2024 has distinguished itself through academic excellence and a vibrant tapestry of talents, passions and community spirit. Among these 87 graduating seniors, a profound sense of achievement and potential is palpable.
Leading the Charge: Valedictorian and Salutatorian
Valedictorian Lily Hyde will attend the University of Virginia to double major in business and psychology. Her accolades at FWCD include membership in the Cum Laude Society, multiple undergraduate awards in science, and notable recognitions like the Yale Book Award, Brown University Book Award, and the Bausch + Lomb Honorary Science Award. A gifted dancer, she has also been honored with the Gail Corkery Award for her contributions to FWCD’s ballet program. Hyde founded Brain Buddies, a community initiative fostering a passion for neuroscience among younger students. She was also a semifinalist for the prestigious Morehead-Cain scholarship.
Salutatorian Evan Dickerson will attend Southern Methodist University, majoring in business. Dickerson’s exemplary academic record includes membership in the Cum Laude Society, and he received the Senior Spanish Student Award, Senior English Student Award, and the Humanitas per Disciplinam Award. Beyond academics, he led the Young Men’s Service League as the Leadership and Philanthropy Committee Chair and founded Feeding Fort Worth, an initiative raising over $5,000 to combat food insecurity. At SMU, Dickerson has been honored with the Hunt Scholar and BBA Scholar designations, marking him as one of the top business students in his incoming class.
The class secured over $12.6 million in merit-based scholarships and was accepted to 147 colleges and universities. This year’s graduating seniors have shown exceptional academic and extracurricular dedication, with 87 percent of them earning scholarships. Their journey has led them to commit to 40 different institutions, where they will utilize more than $2.2 million of the offered scholarships.
These seniors’ accomplishments are highlighted by their widespread acceptance into top-tier universities and the impressive fact that 61 percent will be attending out-of-state colleges, while 39 percent have chosen to stay within Texas.
Highlighting the 3A’s
Academics: The Class of 2024 boasts 17 National Merit Finalists, Commended Students, and College Board Recognition Programs Scholars. Additionally, 29 seniors were recognized as AP Scholars, with some achieving AP Scholars with Honor and AP Scholars with Distinction. This year, The University of Texas at Austin is the most popular college destination, with 11 seniors enrolling this fall.
Athletics: Athletic prowess is another highlight of this class, with seven seniors becoming collegiate athletes in sports such as tennis, track & field, field hockey, lacrosse, baseball, and softball, and attending Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Lawrence University, Sewanee: The University of the South, Berry College, Murray State College, and Stephen F. Austin State University.
Arts: The arts are equally represented, with three seniors pursuing fine arts degrees: one in music performance (classical guitar) at the University of Colorado Boulder, another in ballet at Southern Methodist University, and one in studio art at Texas Christian University.
Uplifting Voices
This year’s graduation speeches were brimming with inspiration and heartfelt messages.
Following the procession of faculty, staff, and graduates, Salutatorian Dickerson took the stage. He shared poignant insights about the power of connection, reflecting on his experiences at three different schools before joining Country Day. “What I’ve learned from going to three schools before coming to Country Day is that everyone has a story … something they’re facing in life that you could never imagine. I encourage us to keep that in mind as we go into college, to continue to be curious and outgoing, to try and meet as many people as possible, and to make friends wherever we go,” he urged his classmates.
The Board of Trustees’ address was particularly special this year, delivered by Brian Crumley ’92. Speaking as a parent of a graduate, on behalf of the Board, and as a Falcon alum, Crumley highlighted the class’s accomplishments. “Having had the privilege of watching firsthand this class flourish over the years, only enhanced by the addition of new members to its cohort, you have made the school proud with all your individual and group accomplishments together. You have followed the FWCD path to success and have been rewarded by your acceptance into esteemed universities across the country and the world. Seventy percent of you were accepted into your first-choice college, wow!” he exclaimed.
The Class of 2024 voted Dr. John Cordell as their faculty speaker, and he delivered a moving speech. He likened the journey of the class’s 87 graduates to the dynamic paths of stars and galaxies, emphasizing the complexity and beauty of human souls. “In your future, I am afraid there will be struggles and tears and pain, but there will be joy and triumphs and love,” Dr. Cordell emphasized. “Your paths are not determined as the paths of the stars. Revel in your freedom and wonder and just explore and enjoy and never, never stop dancing and loving.”
Next, Valedictorian Hyde echoed Dickerson’s sentiments, building on the theme of joy and presence. “Let us remember that life is not a destination to be reached but a journey to be savored. So let us slow down, breathe, and take in the beauty of the present moment,” she advised. “For true joy is not measured by the grand gestures, the number of accolades
we accumulate, nor the size of our bank accounts, but by the richness of our relationships, the depth of our experiences, and the contentment that comes from living a life of purpose and passion.”
Hyde was followed by her classmate, Dylan Davis, who highlighted the life lessons they learned together over the past four years. “We survived, we made it. We flourished,” Davis declared. “We are ready to take on these next four years of our lives. Although we will be in smaller groups across the world, we will manage to stay connected as a class.”
The highlight of the evening was the engaging speech by 2021-24 Alumni Association President Asad Dean ’90, who brought a special guest—a peregrine falcon—courtesy of Falconer Chris Davis, who he met through Lee Bass ’74 Dean captivated the audience with significant facts about falcons and made a playful comparison to the Country Day community. “While there are four subfamilies of Falconidae, which include the true falcons, forest falcons, the laughing falcons, and the caracaras, there are only three subfamilies of Falconicountryday—Lower, Middle, and Upper School Falcons,” Dean noted. He ended with a powerful message: “When life presents challenges or difficulties and you think you can’t … always, always remember you are a FalCAN.”
Concluding the ceremony, Head of School Eric Lombardi delivered an inspirational closing address. “You have come from a place that has challenged you and met those challenges. You have come from a place that cares about you and take that care with you. You have come from a place where you have made important friends, probably many friends, and take those friendships into the future. You have been a part of a class that has been respectful of each other while sharing immense talents across fields, courts, stages, and classrooms. You have learned from teachers and coaches who have taken seriously their charge to help you meet your potential. May you not only meet but exceed all your potential as scholars, researchers, entrepreneurs, athletes, performers, and, mostly, kind people eager to contribute to a better world,” Lombardi concluded.
The evening was a true celebration of achievements, connections, and the bright futures that await the Class of 2024.
