Senior Feature

LEADING WITH SPIRIT

At the beginning of the school year, the Class of 2022 brought a perspective that was unique to the rest of the students in the Upper School: They were the only class that spent a full year in the Upper School before COVID-19. With this insight, the Seniors gave the School a gift; they led the way in rebuilding our sense of community and school spirit. They led with their vibrant personalities, each one of them bringing a special spark to the bright torch of Collegiate. Spark asked several Seniors what they found to be special about their own class.

HERE’S WHAT THEY SAID.

MOLLY WOODS

“I have been a part of the best class I could have asked for over the past 13 years. We have created something special here. Being with one another for most of our lives has allowed us to have a deeper understanding of one another, which has allowed us to create deeper relationships and respect for each other. But what truly means the most to me is that we turned our love and respect into a tremendous amount of support for one another. We’ve taught each other lessons, we’ve learned what friendship does and does not look like, and, more importantly, we’ve given each other our childhoods.”

LAUREN LUCY

“We have always been engaged in every extracurricular success. We cheer each other on. This year our class strove for unity and expanded the boundaries. Whether I’ve known some of my classmates since Kindergarten, or maybe just from recent years, I can say with confidence that I have learned something from every single person in the Class of 2022. Through the return of the student section and the reimplementation of traditional forms of beloved events such as pep rally, Homecoming, Feast of Juul, Brunch and Pageant, we have embraced our challenges and emerged as a community.”

WILL PACE

“In my eyes, the Class of 2022 has made a positive mark here at Collegiate. The spirit and camaraderie among our class that I’ve seen have been excellent. I am forever grateful for this Collegiate community and for my friends.”

DONOVAN WILLIAMS

“As a musician, my class was gracious in allowing me to perform some of my music for them on stage. They are great audience members, great teammates and great classmates. Being able to come together as a group and being able to have that energy that spurs everybody forward and allows them to perform to the best of their ability is tremendous. The unity between us is what makes this Senior class so great.”

IAN QUINDOZA

“Having different groups of people and different friend groups come together as one class — even with all of our different interests — and have common goals is something special in our grade. I hope we’ve shown other grades spirit and leadership. We led by example, showing the younger students what the Upper School is like.”

ZEHMA HERRING

“There is definitely a strong sense of togetherness among our class, especially after being separated for two years. We showed our spirit through student sections at athletic events and theater performances, and that brought us closer together. We appreciate each other’s talents — I remember the countless times sitting and listening to a classmate play guitar during lunch, for example — and that’s been really special.”

JAY MACDONALD

“I’ve grown really close with everyone in my class. I have a little handshake or an inside joke with each person in the class. That’s really special — to have that kind of connection with everyone. The support they’ve shown for our robotics team has been magnificent, too.”

AMANI KIMBALL-MCKAVISH

“As an athlete, I felt supported in an already supportive environment. To look to the stands and see your friends cheering you on is a great feeling. Our student sections were so much fun. I also hope we demonstrated gratitude for all the opportunities we’ve enjoyed during our time here. I think we’ve shown how much we can give and get back from the community.”

ALUMNI NEWS

Alumni Association President Jasmine Turner ’11 networks with students during the Senior Transition Program.