5 minute read
Commencement 2021
by John Bishop
It almost didn’t happen. Going into the final days of May, Lawrence Academy continuously and carefully observed state and local directives and restrictions, knowing full well that the COVID-19 pandemic might make an in-person graduation ceremony impossible.
All of the contingencies and alternatives the administration were considering never came to pass. Instead, on Friday, June 4th, graduation was held on Murbach Field. In the shadow of the goalposts, Head of School, Dan Scheibe imitated the look of New England Patriots kicking legend Adam Vinatieri — arms raised, saying, “It’s good!” — as the 228th Graduation Exercises at Lawrence Academy commenced. “Before this year, did we ever really understand just how beautiful and meaningful the words ‘in-person’ were?” Mr. Scheibe asked the crowd gathered on the athletic field. “I say this with a sense of celebration for those of us who are here, but also with sensitivity and compassion for those who are not here with us right now.
“For those members of the Class of 2021 who are joining us remotely, we send you our love and our pride, reaching out to you as the Lawrence Academy family,” he added. “We dedicate this ceremony to you as a symbol of the bond we share.”
The emotion on the faces of the graduates, their families, LA faculty members, and invited friends — enhanced as they were by the “jumbotron” placed in the corner of one end of the field to help the crowd watching
Guest Graduation Speaker Jared Mezzochi '07
Amaya Benzaquin-Magill ‘21
Brandon Wiercinski ‘21 and his dad Kevin
on campus stay apart — were palpable; happiness, melancholy, hope, fear, and desire were all there. Meanwhile, through all of the emotion, the speeches sought to guide the grads to closure.
“The world is hard right now,” said Jared Mezzochi ’07. “This world needs you to emerge as a community, as your own ecosystem, different from ours. Surround yourself with people who see the world differently than the rest of us. You’re on your way. You are here today, having earned an incredible foundation at Lawrence. These teachers love you. They aren’t saying goodbye to you — trust me.”
It was that foundation that Senior Class President Amaya Benzaquin-Magill remembered as she looked out across the field, turned back to the faculty, and imagined the untold number of people watching from afar. And it wasn’t “goodbye” that resonated in her words — it was gratitude.
“There are too many thank-yous to fit into this,” said the soon-to-be graduate. “But we know who you are. If you are here watching or live-streaming the ceremony today ... our parents, siblings, grandparents, godparents, friends, aunts, uncles, cousins, dogs, cats, fish, and especially the faculty, staff, and administration here at LA, thank you! You’re the people who got us through.”
Her classmate, senior class speaker Brandon Wiercinski, added, “I could not be more excited to be getting ready to walk across this stage with all of you. The diploma we receive today symbolizes so much more than our completion of four or five years of high school. It is a recognition of the sacrifices that we have made and the work along our way to get here. And, that should be celebrated. That needs to be celebrated. Like this, together, and in-person.”
Turning back to the school’s commitment to the Class of 2021, senior speaker Ava DiVincenzo echoed the sentiments of the previous speeches and lauded the LA community. “Thank you for always giving 110 percent, and for working so hard to give us the most we could get this year. You’ve made a lasting impact on us all, and we are so appreciative,” she said. “And, to the Class of 2021, I’m so proud to be here with all of you today.
“Thank you for being a part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you should all be proud of yourselves,” she concluded. “Thank you. And congratulations.” The Class of 2021
– Dan Scheibe
Senior Class pic
Senior Awards
The Adrian Chen ’92 Award (linguistic and cultural fluency): Wilson Li
The Benjamin Davis Williams Prize (leadership and innovation): Isabella Sepulveda
The David Thomas Kinsley Prize for Public Speaking: Sophia Ronchetti
The Faculty Award (conduct and character): Brandon Wiercinski
The Ferguson Prize for Leadership: Enock Musyoka
The Howard Glaser ’55 Award (school spirit): Amaya Benzaquin-Magill
The Mary Elizabeth Chickering Prize (academic accomplishments and wholesome attitude): Ava DiVincenzo
The Melvin Mann Award (leadership and respect): Emma Anane
The Norman and Catherine Grant Award (sportsmanship): Olivia Drugotch
The Pillsbury Prize for Character and Conduct: Drew Barron and Tony Muse
The Pillsbury Prize for General Improvement: Nicholas Beloff
The Raymond A. Ilg Jr. Award (achievement in athletics): Anthony Cafarelli
The Richmond Baker Prize (athletic leadership): Avery Badger
The Thomas Park ’29 Memorial Award (loyalty and dedication): Tessa Griffith and Davonte Sweatman
The Treisman Prize for Superior Scholastic Achievement: Sebastian Sepulveda
The Whitehurst Prize (exceptional growth): Calum Tinker
Underclass Awards
The Carl A.P. Lawrence Award (competence and loyalty): Shaniece Nugent ’22 and Demetra Danas ’22
The Dartmouth College Book Award (intellectual and extracurricular leadership): Kaitlyn Nguyen ’22
The David Soren Yeutter Memorial Award (appreciation of natural beauty and LA): Nathalie Pierpont ’22
The Harry and Ann Davidson Prize (effort to achieve): Jasmine Marsh ’22
The Harvard Book Prize (scholarship and character): Meaghan Sheehan ’22
The James E. Baker Prize (development in attitude and scholarship): Daniel Alpers ’22, Lauren Cloherty ’22, and Travis Perrault ’22
The Margaret Price White Award (motivation and work ethic): CJ Schuster ’23
The Thomas B. Warner ’75 Memorial Prize (determination to achieve): Abigail Schuster ’22 and Faith Massoni ’22
The Proctor Award (integrity, initiative, and responsibility): Shelby Richards ’22
