Park School Bulletin - Graduation 2023

Graduation 2023

Graduation 2023

On Friday, June 16, The Park School proudly celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2023. The day was sunny and bright, as were the smiles of our graduates, their families, and Park’s faculty and staff, coming together in appreciation of the journeys that have brought us this far.

As he brought the ceremony to a close, Head of School Scott Young noted, “Class of 2023, today, we celebrate all that you have accomplished, and there is much to celebrate. Together, we imagine all that you will achieve in the future. We are very proud of you. We are thankful to you. We are thrilled for you.”

Congratulations, Class of 2023!

ELIZABETH WOOD, LEFT, THIS YEAR’S RECIPIENT OF THE CROCKER AWARD, WITH PA PRESIDENT TIFFANY HOGAN*

* The Crocker Award is given from time to time by the Parents’ Association to an adult within The Park School community for uniquely selfless, abundant, and dedicated years of service to the benefit of The Park School community. This award is given in honor of Joan Crocker, who, in her twenty-five parent years at Park, exemplified the kind of devotion and steadfast zeal this award recognizes in its recipients.

Student Speeches

Each year, students who wish to serve as graduation speakers submit writing samples for consideration by a faculty committee, which selects two speakers without knowing the identity of the writers. The speakers chosen for the Class of 2023 are Khaleena Jones and Talia Klevens

Khaleena Jones ’23

Since the day I arrived at Park school, I’ve felt like I was a part of a family. I’ve made some good friends here. I grew up with these people; they are like my siblings. They are friends I can rely on and crack jokes with.

Park showed me what an inclusive school looks like. I’ve watched how we’ve grown as people. Day after day, Park gets better and better in taking people’s needs into consideration. Park teachers realized that everybody needs a space and went out of their way to make one.

CLICK HERE to watch Khaleena’s speech in full.

Student Speeches

Talia Klevens ’23

No matter where we go, we will always have a launchpad to take us wherever we want in the future. And it’s really the people, the community of The Park School who have gotten us here. Thank you for truly caring.

I learned about the importance of past memories, being together even though we were forced apart, and the power of munchkins on a Thursday morning.

Alumni Graduation Address

Each year, The Park School invites a graduate with seven years of post-Park experience to give the graduation address. Until this year, that speaker has represented their graduating Grade 9 class — this year, our speaker represents her Grade 8 class. It is my distinct privilege to welcome Lev Goldman back to The Park School.

Lev entered Park in Kindergarten and graduated as a member of Park’s Grade 8 Class of 2016. She then spent her high school years at The Cambridge School of Weston.

Now a senior at Vassar College where she is studying Cognitive Science and Theater, Lev is exploring the intersection of art and science. Lev’s love for theater stems back to her time at Park, through her experience at CSW, and has been a cornerstone of her time at Vassar.

Lev’s passion for Cognitive Science is more novel, however, grounded in her passion for interdisciplinary work and the liminal spaces that connect areas of study and practice — a passion rooted in her time at Park.

Lev credits her time at Park and her teachers at Park with inspiring her to explore and providing her with academic skills that she uses to this day as a student. At Park, she was surrounded by educators who embraced curiosity, fostered exploration, and acted with kindness.

Lev shared that Park was the greatest educational experience of her life because, at Park, she developed a strong sense of self, independence, and creativity with the safety net of the teachers and adults who cared for her unequivocally.

A joyful learner, mindful leader, skillful communicator, and practiced advocate through and through, Lev Goldman is an inspiration and exemplifies our Park Portrait.

–Scott Young

Lev Goldman ’16

One of the most important things for me as I have gotten older has been to hold onto that sense of wonder, to access it again even once I know the mechanics of how something works, and to find it in unexpected places.

One of the funny things about readiness is it’s something that you can only ever really know afterwards, but that the people around you can see in the moment. You can be ready without knowing what’s coming, without having any clear plan of what you’re going to do, and without it feeling like you are. So I’m not going to ask you whether you’re ready for high school. I’m here to tell you: you are ready.

If you have figured out how to have fun, how to enjoy each other’s company in every spare moment and band together to get through difficult times, you’re all set. Hold tight to that knowledge as you go to different places, make friends, and start this new chapter of your lives… Leave space for the play and the wonder, and I hope that whatever you do, you will keep having fun.

Head of School Remarks

Scott Young Head of School

Today, we celebrate you as individuals, and we celebrate you as an extraordinary and truly generous class. Class of 2023, it has been my privilege to get to know you over the last four years as scholars, as artists, as athletes, as leaders, and as citizens who care deeply for your classmates and your school. You have left a most positive mark on Park.

Head of School Remarks

Class of 2023, I have witnessed your poise on the stage, your creativity in the art room, your generosity of spirit in the hallways, as well as your sportsmanship on the playing fields, whether you were on the undefeated flag football team or a part of a team that struggled to win. Your camaraderie and passion for fair play characterized your athletic endeavors. In all areas of school life, you speak up and speak out and have made The Park School stronger.

CLICK HERE to watch the full video of the 2023 Graduation Exercises.

Last Lesson

Ken Rogers

Upper Division Head

My hope is that you continue to experience and take greater notice of those supports you are so very fortunate you have in your life. Part of today’s celebration is to recognize and be thankful for all of the efforts that brought us to this day.

That’s hopefully been your experience at Park. That there has been support, care, investment, and provision even though you may have not seen it or recognized it.

Your homework is to grow as a seer, as one who notices. You are growing into a challenging world of those who will need that noticing, need your advocacy, crave your thoughtful and impactful words and deeds, and most of all, your care—not to make space for comfort and ease, but to make space for justice and space for the voices of those needing to be heard.

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