Letter From the Head of School
Spectacular Sendoff On June 4, the Santa Fe Prep Class of 2021 enjoyed a beautiful socially distanced Commencement ceremony on Brennand Field under the sunny New Mexico skies
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N HIS KEYNOTE REMARKS to the Santa Fe Prep Class of 2021, Stephen Badger, Board Director of Mars, Incorporated, offered the graduates leadership advice and emphasized the importance of listening to your inner voice. He also congratulated the class and shared some important perspective: "... in terms of the miles you’ll walk in a lifetime, this next step is a milestone that marks the beginning of a life of your own making, at a whole new level from what you might have already undertaken, and you’ve done it in the face of a global meltdown," he said. "You’ve chosen the next step of what school or path to take next year despite the pandemic, and you now have a real and new data point that speaks to your ability to care for and manage your life."
Class speaker Anna Swanson ’21 also had some inspiring reflections and inspiration to share with her fellow graduates. Below are some excerpts. Our class’s community is not a material or physical place, but rather a feeling. A feeling of belonging amongst others. A feeling that celebrates the diversity of interests and the successes of the collective. It is listening, supporting, learning, and understanding. It is the feeling of having 51 shoulders to lean on. It is shaking away the barriers of friend groups, clashing interests, and the stress of classes to be there for one another. … Even during the pandemic, a time in which people felt further apart than ever and the idea of community was in jeopardy, our class continued to listen, appreciate, and understand the hardships that each individual was experiencing. … If this year has taught me anything, it’s how to make the best out of a strange situation, a quality I have learned from those around me. I have been fortunate enough to witness my classmates, teachers, and family members strive to create community by giving back to others. Congratulations, Class of 2021. We can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you.
WI NTER 2021
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