graduation is back in the building with covid guidelines allowing for larger gatherings this spring, friends attempted to create an authentic and meaningful graduation ceremony for the class of 2021—on our campus. On Wednesday, June 9, the Class of 2021, their teachers and advisors, and their family and loved ones gathered at 250 Valencia Street for their graduation from the San Francisco Friends School. In order to make this momentous event possible on our campus, families gathered to watch the ceremony in the SFFS gym, while the soon-to-be graduates sat together in the Meeting Room. The two groups (plus those who were Zooming from home) experienced the ceremony together via an extensive AV set-up, and families were able to watch their graduates walk across the gym stage to receive their diploma from Mike and Clarke while hearing the cheers and feeling the pride of the (distanced) crowd. The incredible SFFS Arts Department led the talented Class of 2021 in a number of performances, ranging from a jazz-infused take on “Simple Gifts,” to an 8th Grade
band performance of classic poprock hits by A-ha and Foo Fighters to a beautiful spoken word piece, “New Eyes,” that was co-written by three of the graduates (Jocelyn Gursky, Leah Lashinsky, and Rajan Rao), an homage to their journey through Friends, which they masterfully compared to the 8th Grade interdisciplinary eye project, itself a rite of passage at Friends. –––––––––– [Excerpted from “New Eyes”]: Jocelyn: Today, I walk down the hallway for the last time as a Friends School student. Lining the walls, watching me, are eyes. The eyes have so many different components that allow for the process of vision. There are so many things that the light goes through during this process to obtain a clear image. And when the adventure has come to an end, the light is ready to do it all over again. Rajan: We are all nervous to go to a
among friends: spring / summer 2021
new school, with new people, and new experiences. But, we have been through this incredible journey together. We have learned so many things along the way, and are ready to embark on this journey once again. Jocelyn: Because of our parents, teachers, and community, we have new eyes. Leah: Now, we can see clearly. –––––––––– We are so proud of this group of newly-minted SFFS alumni, who are off to attend 23 different high schools from San Francisco to Massachusetts to Barcelona. Below, we’ve included Mike’s remarks to the graduates and their families on June 9, complete with some family lore, some encouragement, and some moving insight into what these remarkable young people bring with them as they move on from Valencia Street. En-
