Commencement 2012

C S t.

Margaret’s

ommencement

2012

Episcopal

School

Nicholas D. Adams Joseph S. Ag端ero Mary C. Ahearn Robyn Allan Melanie K. Arnold Ramon I. Arriaga Natalie A. Barbaresi Christopher C. Barwick Christopher D. Bauer Aurahm J. Bayat Jessica M. Bissontz Paul B. Brenneman Conor T. Burke Martin J. Burke Ivana C. Cantuna Conner E. Carnahan Gabrielle E. Carpenter Jacob H. Carpenter Isabella Carracino Tara R. Cassano Hayden R. Caves Esmeralda Chaidez Elizabeth Chen Tiffany K. Cheng Crystal S. Chin Chelsie C. Churchill George M. Clemmons Jake T. Dappen Joan C. Davidson Ashley K. Davis Hayden G. deCarion Oliver W. deCarion William M. Desmond Katherine A. Donahue Matthew L. Due単es Arian J. Faraji Najet L. Fazai David J. Field Katherine E. Fragapane Rocelle E. Frost Jacob M. Garrett Jessica J. Garrett William P. Gaudreau Jonathan D. Gencarella Cole D. Gennrich Ryan E. Gooding Lauren S. Gottlieb Madison E. Gottlieb Andrew A. Greene Natasha C. Grey Fabiola C. Hernandez Heather M. Hughes Meaghan A. Hurr Kent J. Iizuka Madison S. Jahn Bethany R. Johnson Colin W. Johnson Matilda R. Keane David Y. Kim Matthew N. Kloss Ted C. Ko Ekaterini S. Kontoulis Michael A. Kushner Monika I. Laird Kyle A. Larrabee Samantha E. Larsen Gabriela T. Leichnitz Nolan R. Lynch Ashleigh S. Magnus Byron V. Manzo Jennifer A. Manzo James C. Marcu Clementine R. Marcus Jordan I. McDaniel Tabitha F. Miller Matthew K. Miyamoto Maxwell C. Monahan Emily R. Moore Marina M. Gonzalez Catherine A. Nally Abigail E. Nemeth Mark A. Olivier Lauren M. Patch Hasina S.Patel Gregory E. Paul Stephanie Perez Veronica A. Powell Alexander J. Ramadan Alena M. Riggs Alexandria M. Robinson Anastasia N. Robinson Ellen M. Roney Anam Sadruddin Saba Saghafi Katherine T. Schneider Camille B. Sheets David A. Shelly Chase L. Stueber Christian T. Tanaka Ryan G. Tanaka Jennifer N. Tedori Nicolas S. Toubia Barrett K. Travis Brian E. H. Vail Caroline B. Walters Heather J. Zusman Jenna E. Zusman Nicholas T. Zusman

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School is pleased to present this commemorative publication focusing on the Class of 2012 Commencement ceremony.

For additional articles and photograph galleries highlighting the Class of 2012, including the Bishop’s Spirituality Award winner and events such as the Upper School Awards, Senior Breakfast, Senior BBQ and more, visit http://commencement.smesnews.org.

C

ommencement 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1

Commencement Ceremony The Class of 2012 Commencement Ceremony featured addresses by Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut, the Associated Student Body President, the Valedictorian and the commencement speaker.

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Marcus D. Hurlbut, Headmaster

15

Commencement 2012 offers a compilation of speeches presented during ceremonies and services honoring the St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Class of 2012. Speeches have been edited for publication.

Editor Nicole Peddy Editorial Board Jeannine Clarke, Anne Dahlem, Dr. Jeneen Graham, Marcus D. Hurlbut, Nicole Peddy Please send comments or questions to the Marketing and Communications Department St. Margaret’s Episcopal School 31641 La Novia San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-2752 communications@smes.org www.smes.org

20

22

For additional articles and photograph galleries highlighting the Class of 2012, including the Bishop’s Spirituality Award and events such as the Upper School Awards, Senior Breakfast, Senior BBQ and more, visit http://commencement.smesnews.org.

St. Margaret’s publishes responsibly. This publication is printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper, using soy-based inks made from renewable resources such as natural pigments and vegetable oils.

26

B a c c a l a u r e at e S e rv ic e At this evening service, the community gathered to hear the Salutatorian Address and to give thanks for the graduating students, their families and the commitment of the school’s teachers and staff.

Candlelighting Ceremony The Upper School student body passed the “light of leadership” from the senior to junior class, inspired by addresses from the Upper School Principal, 2012 Associated Student Body President, as well as the 2013 Associated Student Body President.

Senior Banquet Graduating seniors and their families shared a meal outdoors, together with the St. Margaret’s community, listening to faculty addresses.

College Choices Learn where these recent graduates are headed in their academic careers.

C

ommencement Ceremony

T

he St. Margaret’s community gathered on Gateway Field on June 9 to witness the graduation ceremony of the Class of 2012. Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut addressed those gathered, welcomed the guests, presented the Class of 2012 and gave the closing remarks.

“Good evening and welcome to the 27th Commencement at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. Thank you for joining us on this beautiful late spring evening in this truly magnificent setting as we gather for one last time to celebrate the Class of 2012. This class has distinguished itself in so many ways, not the least of which has been through extraordinary musical talent – awesome job Ted, Barrett, Chase and Matt. We will really miss you!

“I would like to welcome and offer special thanks to some honored guests who have taken time out of their busy schedules to be with us here this evening – the Mayor of the City of San Juan Capistrano, the Honorable Larry Kramer, and the Mayor Pro Tem of the City, the Honorable John Taylor.

“We are also thrilled to have join us again the second Headmaster of St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, Mr. Markham Campaigne. Mark served the school faithfully for 17 years and he, his wife Maryann, and their four children were and will remain always Tartans through and through.

1

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

“Special thanks also to any and all St. Margaret‘s alumni who are with us this evening, especially those members of the Class of 1987 who are celebrating their 25th anniversary. This small (28 strong), but mighty class happens to include many loyal Tartans including our Middle School Principal Mrs. Jeannine Clarke. Congratulations and welcome back! And to all our alumni gathered this evening, thanks for a great time last night. I loved it and am already looking forward to the next time.

“It is a long standing tradition at St. Margaret’s for the president of the Associated Student Body, the student body president, to offer a few words at this time. Please welcome Mrs. Lora Allison to introduce our speaker.”

After the Headmaster’s welcome, Director of Community Life Lora Allison introduced the Associated Student Body President Caroline B. Walters: “Over the years I have had the pleasure of working with highly involved ASB presidents, ones that continually amaze us with how much they balance and how much they achieve. This year’s president took this involvement and upped the ante. She is somewhat of St. Margaret’s very own United Nations dignitary combined with a Goodwill Ambassador. Caroline Walters has made history as a student, a liaison and a leader. Just weeks into freshman year Caroline and friends began educating our school community to the importance of clean and accessible drinking water in impoverished countries, forming the Charity Water Club. In 2010, she combined her love of Mandarin Chinese, environmental awareness, and an entrepreneurial spirit to develop an eco-forum with schools in China. This forum, which continues to date, allows students from both the United States and China to have discussions around shared environmental concerns.

Caroline has also brokered a strong exchange program between the number one school in Gui Yang, China and St. Margaret’s. And, close to home over the past two years Caroline has shaped the leadership experience for nearly 70 elected student officers. Committed to making leadership practical, relevant and meaningful she wrote a proposal for work that included a faculty and student liaison committee, where both groups come together and generate dialogue around issues central to our Upper School culture.

“So what does this year’s ASB president do for fun? She is a fan of music. Traveling to music festivals across the country and appreciating artists from Neil Young to The White Stripes. She also enjoys the rewards that come with running long distances. Caroline sees this as time for herself, but also valuable time to spend with family and friends—often training with her sister. As she heads off to Middlebury College next year, she will no doubt impact that campus in the same profound ways as she has St. Margaret’s for the past 15 years. Caroline doesn’t just seek to lead, she wants to enact change. I can say with certainty that she has changed us for the better and it is only a matter of time until we once again will call her Madame President. Please welcome this year’s ASB President Caroline Braddy Walters.”

Associated Student Body President Caroline B. Walters arrived at the podium with her greeting: “I love hearing the reactions from people about attending St. Margaret’s. The classics are: ‘So, what exactly is a Tartan?’ or ‘Doesn’t your Headmaster have a weird last name?’

(Sorry Mr. Hurlbut) or ‘What is it like being at the same small school since preschool?’

Caroline B. Walters Associated Student Body President Commencement 2012

2

“I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to come home hysterically crying with a splinter from the wood chips in the Preschool and I feel blessed to have experienced Mrs. Garcia in the Lower School and been forced to sit on “the wall” during recess. I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity in Middle School to kneel down in my skirt and see that I had pulled it down enough to just barely touch the top of the soda can. I am not even saying that in reference to skirts being taken away from the girls before we even got to high school, because quite frankly, I think we looked phenomenal and rather empowered in our knee-length Bermuda shorts and khaki pants.

“What I am saying is that I feel fortunate to have had my St. Margaret’s time extend past four years. It has made the so-called “St. Margaret’s bubble” even smaller and the community closer, but regardless of how many years you’ve been here; everyone graduating today is equally a part of this wonderful bubble.

“Though at times many of us felt that we could never escape the sounds of bagpipes, the St. Margaret’s bubble has been the greatest thing to ever happen to us as we enter into the next metaphorical chapter of our lives.

“Despite all looking the same we were able to seek refuge in the lyrics of one of our generation’s greatest musical accomplishments, “Teach Me How to Dougie.” In Cali Swag District’s critically acclaimed work of art, they say, ‘You just do you, and I’ma do me (all day).’ Being trapped in this oasis of plaid forced us to express our own individuality by looking within and expressing our originality through thought, opinion and knowledge.

We did us.

“The students of the Class of 2012 always sought for ways to make the community here a better place, instead of looking for something better. This Tartan bubble encouraged us to learn more about ourselves and to dig deeper to figure out what kind of people we want to be once we leave St. Margaret’s.

“This sort of growth takes place for most people during college, but the community here has allowed us to be one step ahead.

“Our teachers, deans, advisors and administrators are the ones who helped us make this step ahead and we owe

3

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

A l m a M at e r Hail to St. Margaret’s, gladly we praise you, Thy namesake from Scotland, a legend of love.

Home of friendship, school of our learning, Trusting in God who guides from above.

Thy halls and courtyards, church and highlands Source of knowledge, wisdom, and truth; Though we may travel the world with its treasures We’ll cherish these memories of our youth.

Refrain: So give me the school of the Tartan and the cross, The valley and the river.

To God sing thanks and praise, We shall serve you all our days, St. Margaret’s of Scotland forever.

Hail to St. Margaret’s, birthplace of scholars, Seeking the good in all women and men.

Proud of the crimson and blue of our colors, A banner of courage and peace o’er the glen.

As swallows return to San Juan Capistrano, Their history inscribed on the parchment of fame, We hold a light to a noble example, That others might follow and honor God’s name.

Refrain: So give me the school of the Tartan and the cross, The valley and the river.

To God sing thanks and praise, We shall serve you all our days, St. Margaret’s of Scotland forever.

Music adapted from a traditional Scottish melody.

Lyrics by 1982 faculty and staff.

them everything for getting us to this point. The teachers at St. Margaret’s are truly special. They went beyond just teaching us the curriculum and fully invested in our lives not just as students, but as young adults. It was my sophomore math teacher that helped me train for my first marathon. It was the lively discussions of the bright romantics in Ms. Bunch’s English class that ultimately led me to my college decision. It was Mr. Parker who not only taught me geography and government, but was also my golf coach and Model United Nations advisor, and it was Ms. Warren who basically served as my life coach the past two years and had endless granola bars just in case I got hungry.

“We cannot forget the special teachers and the people at St. Margaret’s that got us to this place. They have provided the most incredible foundation for us, something that will set us apart as we enter into the next phase of our lives.

“I think it is also appropriate to thank our wonderful parents for spending a fortune to send us here the past four years and sorry if we ever complained.

“Our senior gift symbolizes bringing the past of St. Margaret’s, soon to be us, and the future of St. Margaret’s together. We have teamed up with the Class of 2013 to fund a replica of the stained glass window from our school’s Church to be put on the top of the new Performing Arts Center on our right. This will serve as a constant reminder of the cohesiveness of our community, which we know will extend long after we walk across this stage today.

“To the ridiculously good-looking Class of 2012, the most valuable thing that we have gained from our St. Margaret’s experience and education is each other. No matter where life may take us, we must never forget the Tartan and the Cross.

“Thank you.”

Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut took to the podium to introduce the Valedictory speaker Ted Ko: “The Valedictorian of the Class of 2012 began his St. Margaret’s career in our Preschool in the fall of 1996 when he was 2 ½ years old. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, George, Ted Ko was described by his

parents, Joe and Flora, in relatively modest terms giving little or no indication of the brilliance that was to follow with perhaps two exceptions – he was bilingual (English and Chinese) and he and they were clearly disciplined – a comment regarding Ted’s sleeping habits said he got up at 7:00 and went to bed, every night, at 8:05.

“It is a serious challenge to find many, if any, flaws in Ted’s record at St. Margaret’s since his admission 15 years ago.

His Kindergarten teacher, the legendary Margaret Thornton, did comment in the middle of the year that little Ted ‘should take more time to work carefully and neatly’ only to follow up at the end of the year stating that ‘Ted is a superior student. He has made great effort this quarter to work carefully and neatly and check his work for completion.’ What a good boy!

“The signs of eventual greatness emerged early in Ted’s school career. In second grade he was described as ‘a boy of many talents with a unique ability to solve difficult math problems on his own.’ And, so the stage was set for the accumulation of one of the most impressive academic records in the history of St. Margaret’s. Since the ninth grade, Ted has taken a total of 13 Advanced Placement courses across all disciplines – from AP music theory as a freshman to AP biology, English literature, environmental science, government and computer science as a senior. His transcript is nearly flawless – since the sixth grade he has earned an “A” in all but two courses and this year as a senior he branched out and took multivariable calculus through Stanford’s EPGY program on top of his five other AP courses.

“Importantly, Ted’s accomplishments and contributions to St. Margaret’s and the larger community these past 15 years are far more than a nearly flawless transcript. That comment made years ago that Ted is a boy of many talents has certainly played out. Our lives have all been deeply enriched by Ted’s extraordinary and diverse musical talents, from the Chinese flute, to the piano, to the saxophone. He has given and served unselfishly to our school and the larger community through his service to Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano and his deep respect and appreciation for his family and their Chinese heritage.

There is literally no aspect of St. Margaret’s that he hasn’t touched and he has done all this while remaining remarkably modest and humble. Ted is a shining example

Commencement 2012

4

with maniac glee at the destruction of all my future hopes. The next day was worse. We got the quizzes back.

Thirty-three percent was written in bright red on the top of the page, and those numbers burnt their impressions into my mind. I felt horrible. When I looked up, Mr. Sherman was smiling, but it wasn’t a devious smile. It was an empathetic and kind smile that invited me to think about my failure as an extremely important lesson. The experience taught me, and the rest of the class, that we needed to be ready for anything. So, to Mr. Sherman and to the rest of our teachers, here is a one positive: Because you were hard on us, we developed the abilities to study and to anticipate unpleasant surprises. You teachers are awesome.

Ted Ko Valedictorian

to his classmates, to his family and to all of us of the very best St. Margaret’s has to offer. There is absolutely no question in my mind that as Ted heads off to join brother George at Harvard next year, we will soon learn that he has made his indelible mark there as well. Please welcome the Valedictorian of the Class of 2012, Ted Ching-Teh Ko. Ted Ko approached the podium and presented the Valedictory Address: “Good evening. My name is Ted Ko, and I’ve been at St. Margaret’s for 15 years. It’s been 15 years of hard work, friendship and joy. So, to cap them off, I’m going to borrow a tradition from the basketball team. Coach Assaf called this ritual our “one positives,” a practice in which each team member gives one positive observation to another team member. And so, on behalf of the Class of 2012, a class that I have the honor to represent as Valedictorian, here is a set of one positives for different members of the St. Margaret’s family. I offer these with deep gratitude.

“I am most grateful for my first “F.” It was a normal day in pre-calculus honors. Mr. Sherman was 20 minutes into his lecture when he announced, ‘Stop writing and pull out a blank sheet of paper.’ It is too traumatic for me to recount what happened so let’s fast forward. I left class with terrifying visions of Mr. Sherman, a devious smile on his face…yes, that Dr. Evil one (gesture), and he was laughing

5

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

“After a grueling week of finals, my friends and I decided to have an eating contest. These competitions required the contestants to eat multiple bowls of the most delicious ramen in the world at a place called Shin Shen Gumi. I starved myself to prepare and after I arrived, I measured up my competition. I’d seen David Kim eat before.

Restaurants take down their “All You Can Eat” signs because they all know that he can turn their lights out.

It was deadly to go up against him but I was hungry for the ramen and I was hungry to win. Nine of us took our places and it was on. After slurping up a couple of bowls, most of the guys threw down their chopsticks and clutched their stomachs. I was on my fourth bowl when I noticed Matt Miyamoto. He might not look like it, but his stomach can expand like an engorged python’s digestion cavity. Homer Simpson is afraid of Matt. After five bowls, I could feel my stomach about to burst so I surrendered. Matt emptied two more bowls into his mouth and collapsed. But David was still going strong after eight. We celebrated his awesome achievement with screams and laughter. When times got tough, my friends pushed me to work harder and then they helped me to decompress. Friendship is one of the reasons why we sit here today. We are each the recipients of hundreds of thousands of individual acts of love, and so, to everyone within the Class of 2012, here is a one positive: You have all extended the gift of friendship to me and to each other. Thank you for your support and your insights.

Thank you for your praise and criticism. Thank you for saying “what’s up” and “catch you later.” Thank you for Skyping at 1 a.m. so I can ask a question about an assignment. Thank you for making social life at St. Margaret’s into a community of joy and action.

“When I was a fifth grader, I felt like I would be the coolest kid in the class if I knew the Headmaster personally so I scheduled a meeting. I felt that I had taken a great step towards becoming popular. However, I became extremely nervous on the day of the appointment when it finally sunk in that I was about to meet the daunting Mr. Hurlbut. I didn’t want to go but I showed up anyway. We sat down in his office, and he offered me a peppermint from a crystal bowl. I don’t really remember what we talked about, but I do remember Mr. Hurlbut’s warmth and kindness. I felt welcomed and I felt like I was more of a member of the school community. In the nine years since that meeting, I have seen how Mr. Hurlbut, the staff, the administration and the board have continued to make St. Margaret’s into a school that works to make its students feel welcome. Take a look around at the recent additions to our campus. The Pasternack Field House, one of the largest gyms in Orange County, accommodates our assemblies and our basketball and volleyball teams, and even on a few occasions, my pick-up basketball games, when Drew and Joe from the staff opened up the doors at 7:00 on a Friday night. Behind the field house is our “million-dollar field” and it accommodates our soccer, lacrosse and football teams. Right across from us is our soon-to-be-opening Performing Arts Center. I would like to stay here an extra year to continue my music education with Mr. Carbajal because the acoustics promise to exceed the standards of many conservatories. So to the administration, security guards, grounds and fields staff, and board, here is a one positive: You have all worked to make parents and students feel welcome. Your effort ensures that the widest variety of interests will be accommodated at this school. Thank you so much for everything you have done for St. Margaret’s.

“Most importantly, I am here today because of my mom.

Besides giving birth to me or paying for my tuition, she has done so much more to help me be in this position.

For example, last December my mom woke me after an all-nighter because I was going to be late. I grabbed my books and zoomed. Later, I noticed that I had forgotten my biology lab notebook, a notebook that I needed to turn into Mrs. Ingalls by the end of the day. Ice cold fear coiled around my stomach because a late grade would have lowered my average from an A to a B+, and, as you all know, a “B+ is unacceptable” (Asian accent). I paniccalled my mom, but she was driving to Monterey Park to meet with friends. She told me that I was freaking out and to just talk to the teacher. I hung up and a feeling of

doom surrounded me. My goal of getting straight A’s was not going to happen. I carried on and tried to accept my fate. After an hour, my mom called to say that she had put the notebook outside Pasternack. She had cancelled time with her friends to save me. All of us within the Class of 2012 have received acts of love from our parents that are too numerous to count. When we forgot our formal shoes, they jumped in the car. When we needed study partners, they turned off the TV and brushed up on their algebra. When we wanted to play video games, they took them away. So here’s my one positive for you parents: You have done all that you could to help us. We know that you will always love us. Thank you and, I would like to say on behalf of the Class of 2012, we love you.

“I’ve heard it repeated that grateful people are happy people, but I think that is only half true. The Roman Orator and Statesman Cicero said that ‘Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all others.’

In other words, gratitude motivates us to become great people and to fill the world with loving acts so that it can become a better place. Our teachers and friends, the administration and our parents have all added so much to our lives, and so Class of 2012, as we march, charge, fast break, dribble, skip, bike, Douggie, party shuffle, break dance, skate, and jump down the road of happy destiny, let’s pay it forward.”

After the Highlander Chorale’s performance of “Thank You” by Jim Brickman, Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut introduced the Commencement speaker, Associate Headmaster David G. Boyle: “Our speaker this evening knows the good, the bad and the ugly of St. Margaret’s better than anyone else on the planet. David Boyle came to St. Margaret’s in the fall of 1980, the second year of the school, as a seventh grade teacher and coach. Our Founding Father Earn Sillers knew a good deal when he saw it and he hired David and his wife, Marilynn, as a “package,” – code in those days for two for the price of one! On so many levels, David’s career at St. Margaret’s is a series of firsts. He was the first male teacher and the only one for several years. He was the school’s first religion teacher. He was the first coach of the first athletic teams – soccer and golf. He coached the first St. Margaret’s CIF team – boy’s junior varsity basketball.

He founded the first outing or outdoors club and took the first school-sponsored, overnight backpacking

Commencement 2012

6

trip. He was the first director of the junior high and then became the first principal of the Middle School. He was also the first to agree to have his head shaved as a motivator for a community service project. Legend has it that his once dark hair was never the same again. He was the first, and up to now, only person to initiate and coordinate our disaster preparedness procedures. He is the first and still only chair of our CAIS/WASC accreditation process. He was the first associate headmaster.

“It is inevitable that a 32-year career in one place will see many moments of joy and happiness combined with times of challenge, disappointment and sadness. David and Marilynn relished the priceless experience of having their son, Michael, share 15 years at St. Margaret’s with them as he went the distance from Preschool through to graduation.

“David has been omnipresent in the life of the school and his legendary Boyle-isms are integral to helping all of us maintain our sanity and sense of humor when nerves are frayed and much needed perspective is in short supply.

David has always had a way of keeping it light through such notable quotations as: • Things were much simpler when we made all these decisions in secret, in some smoke-filled back room • That’s a nasty hole on your side of the lifeboat • That’s like trying to nail Jell-O to a tree • Our enrollment is exactly where we want it to be…roughly • This could come back to bite me • This may be a bad idea – I have ‘em all the time but it’s funny…

• All right, I made that up but some of it’s true • Regarding a weak proposal: We need a little more flesh on those bones • Regarding a weak program: It’s circling the drain • Regarding Father Sillers: He was like a combination of Junipero Serra and Bernie Madoff • Regarding our most recent CAIS/WASC accreditation process: This doesn’t have to feel like a colonoscopy but it probably did “At 33-years old, St. Margaret’s is still relatively young but we have been blessed with more than a few members of our faculty and staff who have given their lives to the school. Schools become great in large part because some key people decide to make one school their life’s work and no one in the history of St. Margaret’s has given more to make our school what it is today than David Boyle.

7

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

When asked to serve, he has never refused – from the smallest task to the most daunting assignment. Some years ago, I asked him on very short notice to step in and be the principal of our Upper School. There was never a question of whether or not he would do it or that he would do it well. On a very regular basis, when facing a difficult decision or challenge, I could always count on David saying - how can I help. The road hasn’t always been smooth, but fortitude, perseverance, perspective and good humor have served David and the school very well these past 32 years. Faced with a life-threatening illness several years ago, David attacked this challenge as he has gone about his life – with optimism, determination and never a hint of self-pity. The treatments were long and painful, but he was back at it far sooner than anyone expected, and he and we hardly missed a beat. As a lifelong student of history, I have always tried to be mindful when I am in the midst of a historic moment. Today is definitely one of those moments as David Boyle brings to a conclusion his long and distinguished St. Margaret’s career.

I know I speak for many, many of you out there when I say that I have been deeply honored to be his friend and colleague and I am eternally grateful for all he has given to me and to St. Margaret’s. Let’s all rise and give him the standing “o” he deserves – Mr. David Boyle.”

quickly moved into a much larger sign of our health as we left the closing ceremony, the entire student body and faculty had a chance to tour the Performing Arts Center, which is a huge sign that our school is flourishing. I wish the parents present today could have seen the reaction of your children as they appreciated this enormous gift to the life of our school.

David Boyle Associate Headmaster

Accepting the microphone, Associate Headmaster David Boyle delivered his comments to the community, especially to the parents and graduates gathered on Gateway Field: “Thank you, Marc for those kind words. I’m humbled by the honor of addressing everyone assembled here today. To stand before this group of parents, friends, relatives, Board of Trustees, my esteemed colleagues and these fine young men and women, the 27th graduating class from St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. I can’t tell you what a thrill it is to be connected to this particular class. We shared a lot of experiences over my three years as your principal and even this year too. Right now, we are experiencing some of the same emotions: certainly a lot of exuberance but also a sense of accomplishment and an eagerness to move on to the next adventure in our lives beyond these hallowed halls. We are going to walk out of here together... and, we are leaving on a high note. So many things are going well here at St. Margaret’s at this particular time.

“There are many auspicious signs... it feels good ... it feels right ... and the stars are lined up for us ...

“I see so many indicators – from small signs to large signs – that our school is thriving. A small but indisputable sign was evident during our closing ceremony on Wednesday. The entire student body laid into the alma mater with incredible gusto! It was a heartwarming, simple, and proud expression of school spirit. But, we

“Less visible but incredibly important is how we are continuing to attract and retain outstanding educators who pour their lives into St. Margaret’s. Most recently and most notably, Trustee Dr. Jeneen Graham will be leaving the board and joining our senior administration as our academic dean, this is truly another stroke of luck for St. Margaret’s. One of my few regrets in leaving will be that I will not get to work with Jeneen.

“Class of 2012, you are the last class of St. Margaret’s with whom I will participate in Commencement, and thus, I take great pride in all that you have accomplished, and I feel a very special connection to your class. The theme of connections is an important one to me. It is what I wish to celebrate, and it has permeated this last talk.

“As a case in point, rarely have outside speakers delivered a St. Margaret’s Commencement address. Instead, we believe in nurturing the connections among members of our own community at special occasions like this one.

And, close connections are what we believe distinguish this school and the Class of 2012.

“Members of the Class of 2012, you have found scores of ways to bond with each other throughout your time here.

In the classroom you have challenged one another and your teachers in Socratic circles. On bus rides home you have rejoiced in triumphs and consoled one another in times of difficulty. Team members have remained staunch, whether winning or losing. Working together on service projects, you have made an enormous difference in the lives of countless groups and individuals locally and around the world.

“We’ve seen actors, and actresses and tech crews bond together during wonderful productions. We’ve witnessed the teamwork of choreographed dance recitals. The list is long and rich.

Commencement 2012

8

college counseling program. No herd-like migrations to tried and true destinations...students and parents actually listening to us about what a unique fit means...these seniors are thinking outside imagined boundaries...and shunning “name-brand” consumerism.

“These intense connections have also been so evident in the ceremonies and events that have punctuated the last six weeks. There have been so many touching expressions of love. In one of our last chapel services together David Kim performed an unforgettable riveting song and it brought the house down. During Candlelighting, Caroline Walters spoke so eloquently about the leadership of the Class of 2012. In our Senior Banquet, Saba recited a touching tribute poem he composed that included every single senior. A few moments later, Aurahm serenaded us with a moving song that left a lot of us in tears.

“Last night, our Salutatorian Barrett Travis shared great and memorable advice with the Class of 2012. Our Valedictorian Mr. Ted Ko, has just given us a most thoughtful and insightful presentation. Characteristically it was a work of great sophistication.

“Thank you, Ted and Barrett; you continued to enrich the life of our school even after the last class has ended and the last grade has been recorded.

“Another huge sign of our robust health is this year’s college admissions. By all measures, this year's college admissions news is impressive. The 108 students in the Class of 2012 submitted 955 applications to 231 colleges and universities around the world.

“As is common for St. Margaret’s seniors, 100 percent of our seniors earned admission to a four-year college or university.

“Here’s an interesting and telling statistic: 30 graduates will attend colleges where our alums have not enrolled in the past four years. This is clearly a sign of an impactful

9

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

“All of that is impressive but the marathon race to this finish line started a long time ago. I wish all of you have had the pleasure of watching the last event in every one of our track and field meets. The 4x400 relay race. On our distinguished boys’ team, the first runner springs off the blocks at the sound of the starter’s gun and whips around the track once and passes the baton on to next runner and so on and on until our anchor, the last runner, carries the baton across to thunderous applause. It’s truly thrilling and a great way to end a meet.

“I’d like for you seniors to humor me here for a moment and imagine that collectively and individually you’ve been the baton in this race concluding today. Dear colleagues – forgive me – unlike Saba I could not mention all of you.

In 1999, Jody Parsons and Ingrid Andrews passed you on to Carol Perry and Margaret Thorton. Who in turn passed you on to Robyn Hamilton and Jan Babcock (God bless Mrs. Babcock). Kristen Helm, after her first year as a second grade teacher passed you on to Susan Remsberg and Diane Hawkins, and then on to Rob Lakeman and Carol Fecker. Then it was over the hurdle to Middle School were Jeannine Clarke added 30 new students to the field and you all enjoyed the awesome team of Rian Otto, Todd Clarke and Kathy Leedom who got you ready for Kellie Paul, Billy Assaf and Mike Allison, then over the next hurdle and into the Upper School. Where I met you and we added yet another 25 new students to the race.

“At this point everyone’s memory is pretty fresh and it’s too risky to leave anyone’s name off the list so I’d like to just mention some relay runners carrying you who are not here today. Lisa Bourguignon, Hiram Johnson, Joji Kawamura (God bless Joji), our dear Larry Rice, Father Bill Garrison, Greg Richardson and Diosa Adams.

“But here we are...Mr. Jordan and the Upper School faculty are carrying the baton through the tape to thunderous applause. Each one of the runners I mentioned and the dozens I couldn’t mention ran until they were exhausted, which is the most common feeling among teachers in June.

“Hopefully that quick exercise left you a bit nostalgic and grateful for a wonderfully diverse faculty. I too am grateful and need to hear and now express my thanks to two towering figures in the history of St. Margaret’s. First, Mark Campaigne, with whom and for whom I worked for 18 years; and second, Marc Hurlbut, who I’ve worked for and with for 10 years. Both of these men had confidence in my leadership and allowed me to grow professionally through many years of challenges and opportunities. I feel so lucky to be able to call each of these men my friend and trusted ally.

“I’m honor-bound to offer you some advice and this is, in part, from Michael Josephson, an educator who has advised us personally on campus and through his work and it speaks to our Core Values.

“Whether you are graduating or not, it’s likely that success and happiness are high among your goals. That's fine; but be careful, they don’t always come together. Not all successful people are happy and not all happy people are successful. The thing to remember about happiness is that it's not determined by what you have or even what happens to you; it’s a function of how you think about your life. Optimism and gratitude are powerful happiness potions. If you want to be happy, discipline yourself to look for the best in people and situations. If you draw a lesson from every mistake and setback, failures transform from stumbling blocks to stepping stones.

“Money – the pursuit of it and, often, the lack of it – is likely to play an important role in your life. Don’t let it be the leading role. Sadly, money is much more likely to be a source of worry, resentment and frustration than of happiness.

“The surest road to happiness is good relationships. Choose friends who want the best for you and bring out the best in you. Be willing to love with all your heart, but don’t put the key to your happiness in anyone else’s pocket by making it depend on the love or approval of anyone, and certainly, don’t make anyone a priority who only makes you an option.

“Don’t settle for a little life. Fill it with purpose and meaning and people worthy of your love and respect.

“Finally although you probably won’t go to chapel once a week in college do try to stay spiritually grounded.

Consider the wisdom of Brene Brown who writes, ‘Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion.

Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning and purpose to our lives.’

“Her words should remind you to remain connected with each other and to our school. Take the connections and special friendships you have formed at St. Margaret’s with you, and nurture them in years to come.

“Women and men of this senior class, in just a few moments you will be graduates of St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. With each of your names that we read today, we will think of how you made St. Margaret’s a better place...you, the Class of 2012, exemplify the best that St. Margaret's has to offer.

“Goodbye, Godspeed, God bless you, the Class of 2012.”

Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut took to the podium once again to present the Class of 2012: “We now come to the moment in the program you have all been waiting for, some of you for 15 years. For any number of reasons, the Class of 2012 is special not the least of which is that with 108 members, it is the largest graduating class in the history of the school and not surprisingly contains the largest number of students – 26 – who began their St. Margaret’s careers in our Preschool with Mrs. Andrews who is here this evening to present the diplomas to this group of “lifers.”

Commencement 2012

10

“While today’s Commencement is a time to send the Class of 2012 off to new and exciting chapters in their lives, it is also a time to honor and express our heartfelt gratitude to the parents of our seniors who have been so integral to the success of this class and to the school overall. All of you have invested enormous amounts of your time and vast sums of hard earned resources to support your children’s education, and we are deeply grateful to each and every one of you for your belief in us and your willingness to entrust your children to our care.

“We offer our special thanks to those of you who are here this evening at the graduation of your youngest child.

Many of you have been here for a long time and we sincerely hope that even though you, too, are officially bringing your St. Margaret's Episcopal School career to a conclusion, you will return often and stay in touch.

“But now we are here to honor and bid farewell to the Class of 2012, and to share this wonderful moment with you.

“To say that you have made an impact and left a legacy would be an enormous understatement. There is no aspect of school life you haven’t touched, and you have seen and been integral to the continued growth and success of the school. In your time here our Upper School has grown from 172 to 420 students and our all-school enrollment from 715 to more than 1,220. You have witnessed the construction of the Gateway Building, the Pasternack Field House, the DeYoung Math and Science Center, the acquisition and renovation of what is now the Stoddard Humanities Building, the purchasing of buildings in the Ortega Business Center, the acquisition of significant portions of nearby parcels of land, the demolition of Highland Hall and the construction of our temporary Middle School, and of course the completion of the new Performing Arts Center that stands so majestically as

11

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

witness to these proceedings this evening. You have distinguished yourselves in so many ways and you have genuinely celebrated the successes of your classmates. You have won academic distinction at the very highest level and brought honor to the school in unprecedented fashion. You have dazzled us with your musical, acting and dancing talents in Convocation, in Chapel, at athletic events, assemblies, 24-Hour Playwriting Festivals, Coffee House Cabaret’s, at the MACY’s and just last week at the CAPPIES. Your have been integral to much acclaimed and highly impactful theater productions including Children of a Lesser God, Servant of Two Masters, Blythe Spirit, Children of Eden, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Jane Eyre, Into the Woods and Metamorphosis, and your art work has touched our senses and broadened our perspectives.

“You have been part of and contributed to more athletic championships than any class in the history of the school.

In your Upper School career our teams have won 12 CIF Championships and three State Championships. You have set records that will be very hard to beat including 96 consecutive wins and four consecutive CIF Championships in girls’ tennis, two consecutive team and individual CIF Championships and two consecutive team and individual State Championships in boys’ cross country, and two consecutive CIF championships in girls’ soccer. You have been impactful leaders through your service to ASB, the Honor Committee, Peer Counselors, Admission Ambassadors, Breakthrough and Special Camp, and you have helped us chart new waters with your contributions to our school garden, the creation of The Alliance and the Student-faculty/Staff Liaison Committee, the first ever senior lock in and of course, that St. Patty’s Day first-ever – Shamrockin! You are the first class in the history of the school to have four students accepted and three students enroll in United States service academies.

“You have come from right next door and far away, and some of you have traveled huge distances and made major sacrifices to be vital parts of our school community. You have been willing to speak out about challenging issues and you have courageously stepped forward on several occasions to lead the Upper School faculty through important discussions on issues of diversity, equality and inclusivity. You have broadened our perspectives through the passion of your voice and the strength of your convictions, and our mission as an Episcopal school has been greatly advanced by your presence.

“We thank you for the many gifts you have given us, the lessons you have taught us and mostly the joy you have brought us.

“It is with deep respect and lasting appreciation that I present to you, Mr. President, the Class of 2012.”

After delivering diplomas to the Class of 2012, Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut delivered his closing remarks to the community: “So here we are, at the end of the line in this important chapter of your lives and in our lives together.

Congratulations to you and your families for many years of hard work and dedication.

“As you head off to 71 colleges and universities in 26 states, the District of Columbia, France and Scotland – remember that from those to whom much has been given, much is expected. Because of your talents, because of your intellect, because of your capacity for hard work, because of your resilience and perseverance and because of your compassion, you have it within your powers to touch the lives of others in profound and meaningful ways.

“J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame said it best some years ago: ‘If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but

with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped transform for the better. We do not need magic to change the world; we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.’

“Or, as Glen Frey put it: ‘Use well your time, be part of something good, leave something good behind – it’s your world now.’

“We are deeply grateful for all you have given us these many years and it is oh so true – the time we have shared together has, like a dream, gone by too fast. Inexorably, of course, time does march on and the hands on the clock tower behind me keep moving forward. In a few minutes you will stand and sing the alma mater, one last time, walk down the center aisle, be the very first class to gather for your final photograph on the steps of the Performing Arts Center, toss your caps in the air and like those caps, scatter in 108 different directions.

“But for one last time, let’s take a moment of silence together and soak in the surroundings and cherish these memories of your youth.

“Safe travels and Godspeed.”

Commencement 2012

12

B

ACCALAUREATE sERVICE

A

t the Baccalaureate service, Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut welcomed the congregation: “The Right Reverend Diane Bruce, St. Margaret’s Chaplains, members of the St. Margaret’s Board of Trustees, parents, relatives, alumni and friends, distinguished members of the faculty, and members of the Class of 2012 “Welcome to the 27th Baccalaureate service at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. It is an honor to welcome you this evening at this very special time in the school year.

These Baccalaureate services are part of a long tradition in schools like ours when we join together for one last time in this sanctuary to share a spiritual moment together.

For many of you, this will be your last official service in this Church – a place where an important component of your St. Margaret’s education has taken place.

“As you move on to the new and exciting challenges that await you, it is my hope that you will look back with fond feelings and meaningful memories of your experiences here. From those early days for some of you in Preschool and then in red sweaters to your presence tonight in full academic regalia, you have invested serious time here and I hope as you move on that you will take with you and in some meaningful way be guided by the values and beliefs that are central to our mission as an Episcopal school – to lead your lives as models of God’s love and grace, to strive 15

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

for justice and peace among all people, and to respect the dignity of each and every human being as creations of a loving and empowering God. “Tomorrow is truly a new beginning for all of you – a little scary and daunting for some, invigorating and inspiring for others. No one can accurately predict what will happen in the coming chapters of your lives but we do know one thing for sure – after tomorrow your lives, will be different and I deeply hope better.

“Your parents, your teachers and your friends have brought you to this exciting time when you stand on the edge of a great adventure. You are ready.”

After readings from the Old and New Testament, Upper School Principal Tony Jordan introduced the Class of 2012 Salutatorian Barrett K. Travis: “Wikipedia describes Salutatorian as an academic title given, in the United States, Philippines and Canada, to one of the highest graduates of the class. This honor is traditionally based on grade point average, and/or number of credits taken. We fully understand this achievement cannot be understated as it reflects a tremendous dedication, work ethic and discipline. But, in the case of Barrett Travis, it is only the beginning.

“Barrett might be described as an accidental Tartan. His family relocated from Texas near the beginning of the school year in August 2007 and only explored St. Margaret’s after Barrett’s mom happened to drive by the school with a realtor who happened to be a St. Margaret’s alum. Mr. Dahlem, in a burst of wisdom quickly admitted the family.

“Barrett’s achievement of his pilot’s license is characteristic of his determination and planning. Over the course of a year, Barrett researched lessons, costs, time requirements and read books on flying. True to form, Barrett completed his goal of achieving his pilot’s license right on schedule.

Legend has it that his parents, on many occasions, had to drive him to the airport as he attained his pilot’s license before he attained his driver’s license.

“Some would describe Barrett as quiet when, in reality, he is simply as efficient with his words as he is with his time.

I suspect we are about to be witness to that. Blessed with a highly developed wit, he was overheard discussing the difficult balance in managing class work and college applications. His comment, ‘having finished my college apps, I now have the possibility of going to college.’

“Barrett is a leader on our JETS (Junior Engineering Technical Society) team, and has impacted many children with his lessons on flying at the Boys and Girls Club. He is a two-sport athlete leading the basketball and baseball teams with his courageous and gutsy play. He is also an accomplished musician.

“Barrett was awarded a research internship in the School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine.

He worked for eight weeks in the area of mechanical engineering measuring aircraft fuel use in turbulent conditions. Completing the research required careful measurements in wind tunnel conditions, working with research professionals at UCI and presenting his results to a blue ribbon audience at the end of the summer.

“It is an honor to recognize Barrett for his quiet determination, his boldness and tenacity, his gifted mind, his humility and his commitment to excellence. Please welcome our Salutatorian Barrett Travis.”

Salutatorian Barrett K. Travis approached the podium and addressed those congregated in the Church: “I took my first solo flight about a year and a half ago, and though daunting, I don’t think I was as nervous then as I am now. There’s something about flying that makes me feel at ease. You would think it would be stressful to fly into John Wayne Airport alongside American Airlines jets, but it’s not because in flying, everything is so carefully planned. There is a checklist in every step of the process, from when you walk out to the airplane to when you are putting it away for the night. There are checklists I use

Tony Jordan Upper School Principal Commencement 2012

16

course list in the other. Likewise, our first day of college in the fall will be like first solos for all of us—we’ll be nervous, in unfamiliar territory, and more independent than ever before. But if we take it one step at a time, it’ll all work out great.

Barrett K. Travis Salutatorian

regularly, like the pre-flight inspection checklist; and there are checklists I hope to never have to use, like what to do if the engine catches on fire during flight. My first solo flight went something like this: My instructor got out of the plane; I called ground control and told the controller I was ready to taxi to the runway; I radioed the tower to tell them I was ready for takeoff; And when they gave me clearance to take off, I taxied onto the runway and did the “lights, camera, action” checklist that I had gone through on each of the 55 takeoffs I had taken with an instructor prior to this one. Nothing was different. Lights: I turn on my lights. Camera: make sure the transponder is set to altitude mode and my radios are set. And, action: flaps are up, mixture is rich, and I go to full throttle. And, I just flew the plane off the runway. The landing was the same way – I simply followed my checklist and trusted my skills to guide the plane down. As I turned onto my final approach, I did my GUMPS checklist: gas, undercarriage, mixture, props, seatbelts and switches. And when I got on the ground, I had time to take a deep breath and appreciate what I had done. The nervousness was gone, and I was stoked.

“This past year we’ve made some fantastic memories, from the Star Wars Flash Mob to the somewhat crude skits at senior retreat to getting to see Saba in a dress a few more times than I would have liked. But now, as we reach the end of our time together, I am honored for this opportunity to speak in front of such an awesome class, and I’d like to end with a checklist we can all use as we end our time in high school and go to college. One: pack a lot of socks; I hear you don’t do laundry very much in college. Two: have fun; do something you’ve never done before – maybe not as dramatic as putting on a dress if you’re a guy, but do something like take a flight in a small airplane. And, three: remember to relax and take things one step at a time. Thank you.”

As the Salutatorian Address was completed, Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut introduced Baccalaureate speaker The Right Reverend Diane M. Jardine Bruce, Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles: “An essential piece of this Baccalaureate service has been the presence of the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, The Right Reverend J. John Bruno.

Unfortunately, Bishop Bruno is unable to join us this evening.

“There are a lot of things that can change while you’re in the air in an airplane. You have to constantly monitor wind direction and velocity; fuel levels; weather; other air traffic; and, of course, you have to pay attention to where you’re going. But really when you realize that for every single thing you do there is a checklist to follow, whether you’re breaking a stall, getting out of a spin, or just doing a 90-degree turn to the left, it makes things so much easier to handle under pressure.

“Several months ago Bishop Bruno was diagnosed with leukemia and was admitted immediately to the City of Hope where he has undergone a rigorous program of chemotherapy. While the initial prognosis was less-thanoptimistic, the most recent information is far more encouraging. In a recent letter to the community Bishop Bruno indicated that his doctors have informed him that he is in complete remission and that the ongoing treatments are designed to prevent a recurrence of the cancer. We regret that he is not able to be with us this evening, but we are very encouraged by this most recent update and pray for his complete recovery. If anyone can battle his way through this, he can! Clearly the treatment and the prayers are working.

“Looking back on it, my first day of high school wasn’t so different from my first solo flight. I was a little guy, lost among huge jets (upperclassmen), and the only thing I could cling to were my lists – block schedule in one hand,

“In Bishop Bruno’s place we are honored to welcome back this evening for the second year in a row The Right Reverend Diane M. Jardine Bruce. Bishop Bruce was elected seventh Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese

17

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

of Los Angeles on December 4, 2009, after having served 10 years as Rector of St. Clement’s by-the-Sea Church in San Clemente.

“Bishop Bruce is the first woman in the 114-year history of the Diocese of Los Angeles to be elected Bishop. The Diocese of Los Angeles is part of the 70-million member worldwide Anglican community and unites some 85,000 Episcopalians in 148 congregations in the Los Angeles area including 40 Episcopal schools.

“Bishop Bruce became Rector of the San Clemente parish in 2000. She was previously associate rector of the Church of the Messiah in Santa Ana and before that she worked for 18 years at Wells Fargo Bank.

“Ordained in 1998, Bishop Bruce speaks Spanish, Mandarin and Cantonese, and she is currently completing a doctoral dissertation on emergent church ministries.

She holds a Master of Divinity from the Claremont School of Theology and a bachelor's degree in linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley.

“A native of Pequannock, New Jersey, Bishop Bruce and her husband, Steve, have two adult children—Max and Jardine.

“We are deeply grateful to Bishop Bruce for taking time out of her busy schedule to join us this evening. Please give a warm Tartan welcome to The Right Reverend Diane M. Jardine Bruce.”

The Right Reverend Diane M. Jardine Bruce took the podium and addressed those gathered: “Trustees, Headmaster, faculty and staff, clergy, parents and friends, and most importantly, the Class of 2012, I bring you greetings from Bishop Bruno and Glasspool and from the entire Diocesan staff – Class of 2012, we are all very, very proud of you.

“Out of curiosity, which of you will be attending that most esteemed University – you may know the one I’m talking about – the University of California, Berkeley – otherwise known as CAL this fall? Please stand and let me see who you are. Welcome to my alma mater, for which I just received, as a gift, this T-shirt. Okay, any of you out there can read this? Not just these fine people going to Berkeley? Yes, BAI KU LAI JIA JOU DA XUE – that’s where they are headed. I can highly recommend to you the language programs there – especially the Mandarin program – that’s where I learned my Mandarin. Okay – enough of my personal commercial.

“Who is going to the University of St. Andrews in Scotland – beautiful! I love Scotland! You know the Jardine Clan of which I am a part of is headquartered there in Dumfries – the clan motto is: CAVE ADSUM –beware, I am here. So watch out for those Jardines!

“Now who is going to the American University of Paris?

– Ooh la la! C’est magnifique! And, who are the three young men who will be attending the Naval or Air Force Academy? Congratulations and thank you in advance, gentlemen, for your service.

“Forgive me for not pointing out all your colleges and universities ... I would enjoy going through each one, but you'd never get out of here.

“Back to you all – the graduating Class of 2012. You are in the throes of a great transition in your lives. All 108 of you are going to a college or university where you will pursue your new form of studies. It will be new – your parents won’t be there to nudge you to do your homework or to set a curfew time for you. You will experience a new kind of freedom – hold that freedom lightly and wisely. In this transition, it is always a temptation to cut loose – but you’re called to balance that with the added responsibility this transition has set for you – your first full step into adulthood.

The Right Reverend Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Commencement 2012

18

class center of learning. One request – your work can never be fully done – please don’t stop. We need you and the legacy you came into and the legacy you are creating now to continue into the future. Please – we need you to continue this important work so that this Episcopal school can continue to send out bright lights such as this graduating class into the world. You will remain in my thoughts and prayers. Please be seated.

“The habits you form in this transition will be important – and these are habits that have been informed by your years here at St. Margaret’s. You would not have come this far in this fine institution if you didn’t have what it takes to succeed. You wouldn’t have been accepted to the colleges and universities you will be attending if you were a class A slacker. You all are anything but slackers. Why? You have been fed – body, mind and spirit – and have been nurtured in a way of learning that will benefit you the rest of your lives. I might add that you will still need to be fed – your body, your mind and your spirit while you are at college – make sure you avail yourselves of those opportunities – and there will be many – always keeping in mind the need to balance your social lives and your academic lives. I know you can do it. I have faith in you, as do your parents and teachers. My only caution is – watch out for that freshman 10 – the 10 pounds just about every freshman gains due to dorm food. All I can say is, YIKES! “Speaking of parents – parents – please stand. Parents, thank you so much for having the faith and trust in this school to educate your child or children. Thank you for supporting your student or students through these years at St. Margaret’s, and for your support of this school and its teachers and clergy. You are truly a gift to us all. Please be seated.

“Teachers and administrative faculty here tonight – I’d like to ask you to stand. Thank you so much for the time and energy you put into educating each of these students.

I know the long hours you put in to ensure the highest level of education for them. You have taken time away from your own families to ensure that this family – this graduating class – received your best effort for their sake.

Thank you so much for all you have done for them, and for this school. It is very much appreciated. Please be seated.

“Trustees – please stand. Thank you all for your hard work in helping to make and keep this institution as a world-

19

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

“Clergy – please stand. Thank you for all you have done to nurture the spiritual side of these students. The time you’ve spent teaching classes, leading chapels, providing counsel has set the stage or planted the seeds of what it means to think about something wholly outside yet within the lives of these students. You offered them the gift of mystery – the face of Christ. As your Bishop, I am very grateful and proud of the work you all do. Thank you.

Please be seated.

“Class of 2012 – a few thoughts for you from me: Take what you have learned here and build on it where you are going. Never stop being curious, never stop learning. You are about to engage in years of discovery, not only about knowledge, but about your selves, the community of humankind and the awesomeness of the kingdom of God. It’s an exciting time in your lives. One thing I want to urge you all to do if you haven’t already – please master, and I mean really master another language. It doesn’t have to be the one on my T-shirt that I showed you all – but please, master another language. It will open up a new world for you – speaking of which, if you haven’t done so already, please get a passport and use it. Travel to as many countries as you can – experience other cultures. I will venture to say this will be among the greatest and most powerful learning experiences of your lives – take advantage of how small this world is getting, and explore it. Take care of yourselves and be gentle on yourselves.

This world is not an easy place. It is very easy for we human beings to be hard on ourselves if we fall below our own expectations or make a mistake. It doesn’t mean you don’t own up to what you’ve done, you have to do that.

It means not being so hard on yourself that you become paralyzed or think you can’t succeed. You can, and you will. When you fall, those are your opportunities to grow and learn. Have faith and know that you are loved and cared for deeply – not only by your parents and friends, but by God. Let all that love sustain you in these years ahead whenever your journey takes a turn you don’t expect. I am so very proud of you all, very proud.

“Blessings and love to you all. Amen.”

C

Andlelighting ceremony

I

n his address at the beginning of the Candlelighting Ceremony, Upper School Principal Tony Jordan summarized the ceremony’s tradition of passing the torch of leadership: “Good afternoon. We gather today to witness and support an important tradition in the life of our school - the passing of leadership. Appropriately, our attention will be on the passing of leadership of the Upper School from the Class of 2012 to the Class of 2013. However, the end of the school year marks transitions of leadership for all of us. Freshman, sophomores, juniors, seniors and faculty...all of us are a year more experienced, a year wiser and a year more of a leader.

“So, for all of us, how do we pass the torch ...

1. Offer advice as you have lived it - there is a lot of free advice flying around, but no one arrived where you are just as you did, instead of jargon and trendy language, take time to explain how you got to where you are. What worked and what didn’t?

2. Don’t try to be everything to everyone...it is tempting to fit in, to look the same, to act the same to be comfortable in your own skin and be confident in your own gifts.

3. Don’t squirrel away all your secrets...we all have a special sauce that makes us successful, share that with others.

4. Look for ways to help...in a community that values grace, civility and kindness, the power of simple acts of anonymous kindness cannot be overstated.

5. Give the gift of you…the best way to ensure you are not simply repackaging someone else’s stale advice is to be genuinely, authentically, certifiably you. No one has your experiences, your thoughts and your voice.

“Congratulations to the Classes of 2012 and 2013 – we will miss our seniors, their humor, their leadership and their stewardship of the school and look forward to the junior class as they enter their seniority and guide our school next year.”

Commencement 2012

20

After lighting her candle, Associated Student Body President Caroline B. Walters addressed those assembled: “Good afternoon.

“As cliché as it may sound, it honestly feels like yesterday I was standing up here and encouraging the Class of 2012 to let the flame of leadership shine for the 2011-2012 school year. I am proud to say that the Class of 2012 has done a great job in leading the school with their creativity, hard work and determination to set a good example while making our last year here at St. Margaret’s the best yet.

“It is an interesting thing becoming a senior. Something I never really understood until late last August. People always told me that their senior year of high school was the best ever because that was the year their grade united and became very close. And, it is true. I never thought our junior year that in the beginning of senior year we would be having a Star Wars themed flash mob, sort of – in the middle of Convocation, where we basically just pranced around with light sabers. Or, the fact that on Tuesday at around 7:30 p.m. Jenna Zusman posted in the Class of 2012 Facebook group also known as, Senior Flash Mob, that the water balloon fight that was established two hours prior was to occur on Thursday, had just moved to tomorrow. Not shocked at all, I walked out of my exam on Wednesday to see half my grade soaked from water balloons. Though our grade could never decide on a “theme” 2012 we are elves, or 1 2 woop woop, or 12 the end or Christian Tanaka’s chill: Mic check 1, 2 we got swag do u? We never let not deciding on a catchphrase stop us from doing our thing.

“For the seniors, though we pass down this flame of leadership to the Class of 2013, we will leave St. Margaret’s as leaders. And, although we will end this ceremony by extinguishing our flames I have no doubt in my mind that each and every one of us will enter the next chapter of our lives as capable leaders, who are not afraid to take risks, with our flames of leadership still burning.

“For the Class of 2013, we have no doubt that you are ready for this new task as leaders of the St. Margaret’s student body. Yes, I know you have some large shoes to fill but I am sure that under the leadership of Emily Chin and Austin Foley you will have no problem making your senior year one for the books. Before you know it, it will be your first day of school as a senior and your St. Margaret’s experience will change, for the better. Your grade will be more united than ever and though your courses will get harder and though you have more responsibilities than ever before, coming to school every day seems to be more enjoyable than any other year. It is a feeling that is hard to articulate, but one that you will understand in a short few months. I am excited to see how the Class of 2013 uses this flame of leadership next year, and I personally am honored to be passing this leadership to such a great class.

21

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

“Good luck to the rest of the student body, especially to the Class of 2013, for the rest of your career here at St. Margaret’s and seriously cherish the time you have. Thank you to Mr. Jordan for giving us the pleasure of being your first senior class at St. Margaret's. Thank you to Ms. Warren and Mr. Allen for guiding us as leaders this past year!”

As the Class of 2012 passed the flame of leadership to the Class of 2013, Emily Chin, Associated Student Body President for the Class of 2013, took the podium: “Almost 15 years ago my sister started her first day of Preschool here at St. Margaret's Episcopal School. I surprisingly still remember this, but I was clinging on to her, crying, all because I didn’t want to let her go. Fifteen years later, we are in a similar situation, my sister is graduating. Yes, I’m not going to lie – I’m looking forward to getting my own bathroom, and my own car – but I know I will truly miss her when she is off at New York University. Next year, the Class of 2013 will get the quad, numerous off campus lunches each week, and all the senior privileges. But before we can have these things, we have to let the seniors go.

“When I was a freshman and a sophomore – I didn’t really like the Candlelighting Ceremony. All you do is move up a row – which seemed pretty pointless to me. But now, as a junior, it is a different story – we now get to hold a candle. The Candlelighting Ceremony has been a tradition here at St. Margaret’s for the longest time – it’s literally the passing of leadership from the current senior class to the future senior class for the following school year.

“I know it’s hard to keep everyone interested in a ceremony centered around the juniors and seniors only. But I want to tell you freshmen and sophomores – you think the day you get to participate in a Candlelighting Ceremony will never come – but trust me it will. The end of your junior year is going to hit you so fast you won’t believe it. If anything, use this ceremony as an opportunity to slow down and acknowledge who you are and think of your plans for the rest of your time on campus.

“Seniors, you have become our older brothers and sisters – watching you leave may seem upsetting, but we know it’s for the best. Back when I was two years old, I know I released my sister from my grasp because it was the right thing to do. Letting all of you go is the right thing to do, because you have proven to every single person at St. Margaret’s, that you are capable of going out to the real world.

“You’ve proven to be an amazing class. From all your accomplishments; such as your hard to beat senior prank to all the amazing colleges you are going to – you have left a significant mark on our school community. Because of you, we all have something to truly live up to.

“We, the Class of 2013, look forward to taking on your legacy with this light of leadership. We will miss all of you, but we wish you the best of luck in your futures. Thank you.”

S

enior banquet

U

pper School Principal Tony Jordan welcomed the seniors, parents, faculty and staff to the festive atmosphere of the outdoor Senior Banquet: “Good evening and welcome to parents, special friends, faculty and graduates. We met with the seniors in August to begin the year and we shared with them what every experienced educator knows. Schools go as the senior class goes …and how this class has gone! They have experienced victory and defeat, shared sorrow and celebration.

Through it all they have drawn on their collective strength to be greater as a whole than the sum of the individuals.

“Socrates said that all you need for learning to happen is two people and a log to sit on. And, if done correctly, an observer would not be able to tell the teacher from the student. This class is like that – while, in theory, we were the teachers; in actuality, the students became the teachers. You taught us stewardship as you took care of each other, you taught us to be part of something bigger than ourselves with your service leadership, you taught us humor and joy with your genuine spirit in the Tartan Courtyard, and you taught us to care deeply when you felt decisions did not support our mission. Thank you all for these gifts, we were blessed to have shared this part of your journey with you and we are better for it.

“In closing, I pass along a thought from that fine philosopher – Dr. Seuss: How did it get so late so soon?

It’s night before it’s afternoon.

December is here before its June My goodness how the time has flewn How did it get so late so soon?

“Bless you all and go with God speed!”

Commencement 2012

22

Senior Saba Saghafi took the podium and addressed the community as the evening’s senior speaker: An Ode to My Class “Freshman year, new here Middle School, disappear.

First friend’s name is Toubs, Played some soccer, lost my moobs New faces, new friends All the bathrooms need a cleanse Thought at first this place I’d hate, But the people make it great.

Like Ramon who speaks like this, And our little Chappy Chris, Barwick, Bauer’s not so small, Ellen and Crystal not so tall, Larrabee giving hugs, Natalie testing with ear plugs, George the smartest boy I’ve met, Where’d you get that Paul? Secret.

Stephanie Perez is quite nice And Ryan Tanaka likes his rice Zusmans there are 1-2-3 Katherine Schneider with her tea Fragapane, first formal date Got a new Katie, call it fate Jessica Garrett, stories short Gencarella plays every sport Zooming by so sexy, Billy Gaudreau But zooming by more sexy is Ashleigh and Banjo.

Jacob Garrett has God’s grace Gooding, Leichnitz embrace, New kid Byron made fun of, Till Tasha came and gave him love, Melanie will always love hairspray, Oooooh Oh! DYK! Heather, Gaby going green, Kloss so tall he’s always seen.

Hasina, Hayden, Eden, Elves Greg and Shelly “love themselves,” Loudest laugh, Aurahm Bayat Andrew Greene, always caught Fast food every day Ali Meows for Tiff and Ms. Nally Martin’s injuries never healed Why so angry Chuy field?

Olivier, smile and wink Sam Larsen, wearing pink Colin Johnson does weird things Elizabeth plays her strings!

Fabiola, the artist, can draw.

Desmond, Donahue, Duenes, awwww Lauren and Arian, my bodyguards Chelsie Churchill jumps for yards, Don't argue with James Marcu, Or tell Max to cut his do, Stueber with his clever quips, Ashley Davis doin flips.

Hayden and Oliver share some genes,

23

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

Joseph Joseph jelly beans Ivana make Ivana smile With Mary’s help won't take a while Matilda Keane a lovely pearl Mmm Maddy you cray cray gurl Manzo, Morales fishbowl mates For Mr. Ko hahvahd awaits.

Nick Adams, I’ll admit, calling me Sabakhhhh was the bomb, And better than when people would call me Aurahm.

Ms. Bissontz, swim, dance, French, Put me in Coach Lynch!

More spikes from Moore Bejja I adore Clemmy Clemmy fashion queen Carnahan, Starbucks caffeine Floatlye Walters, float on I'm scared of Tedori’s massive brawn Anam by me at every fire drill Alena Riggs property of Brazil Alex Ramadan where are you bro?

Winning tennis trophies, doh.

Tabitha, you’re always taking a chance, Joanie we’re gonna miss you in France Veronica and Dappenator, they date?

Bethany Johnson, got that flexible trait!

All of our hearts robbed by Robyn, And Monika on her surfboard, bobbin.

Tara Rose’s monologues always grand, Maddie Jahn and Jake Carp attached at the hand.

Najet Fazai fastest speaker on the planet, Abby Nemeth with braids strong as granite.

If looks could kill, Esmeralda would always injure, And Cole Genrich, so much swag for a ginger.

Lizuka you’ll always be a dark knight, Meaghan you took Breakthrough to the highest height.

With McCaully, you’re always filled with glee Mikey Kushner, see you at SC. Stash a friend to all of SMES, Never gonna challenge CT to chess.

Two years and Camille is in the fam, Brian Vail is still here? Damn!

Jordan McDaniel, a good sport in every way, Oh and that’s right, ahhahaha okay!

Conor, Barrett, Matt, my bros, What’s AMN? No one knows.

Let’s not forget all my crappy jokes There were so many, holy smokes Senior year came so quick So before we leave and get homesick Let’s enjoy this last dinner as one, And look back on all the things we’ve done.

Sometimes it's those daily things That most emotion always brings.

Make left into parking lot, Make sure it’s a yellow spot.

Run to class cause I’m late At this rate won’t graduate Walk on grass in business square They don’t like it, I don’t care Down the steps, into quad Spend my time with the student bod

I'll miss you all, when we’re away And think about you every day This time we’ve spent is very dear, And though it’s ending, do not fear Cause in our hearts we’re always near.

And memories will bring us cheer.

Cause this is how we do, Elf or nonelf, we’re a crew, Woot woot choo choo, 2-0-1-2.”

After the senior speaker, faculty speaker and Upper School English teacher Jamie A. Bunch took the podium and addressed those gathered: “Ten years before Mark Twain died, he addressed a New York literary club, weighing in on a turn of the century debate about the so-called “disappearance of literature.”

While other speakers claimed literature was on the decline or worried that contemporary literature didn’t compare favorably with the literature of previous centuries, Twain declared that he didn’t much care whether ‘the novels produced today would live as long as the novels of Walter Scott.’ Ironically, no one really reads Walter Scott anymore —realism having replaced romanticism in the 20th century—but you’d be hard pressed to meet someone who hasn’t read or at least heard of Mark Twain.

“Ever the humorist, Twain capped off his speech by famously defining a classic as ‘something everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.’ I wonder if he had his own books in mind when he let that wisecrack fly.

Is Adventures with Huckleberry Finn really a book ‘everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read?’ I certainly hope not.

“Of course, St. Margaret’s English department realizes that today’s classics may not be classics a 100 years from now, and that even Twain—perish the thought!—may one day go the way of Walter Scott. But as the Class of 2012 knows full well, our department readily stands by today’s classics, even if “nobody wants to read” them but us. I mean, just think of all those books we assigned, books you probably didn’t want to read and may never want to read again. Books you started 11 hours before they were due, puzzling over tricky paradoxes and knotty analogies, tracing shifting symbols or looking up obscure historical references, bitterness clotting your hearts long into the night.

“But, now having suffered through roughly 8,000 pages of reading in the last four years of English, think of the elitist thrill of being well-read. Think of explicating Melville’s white whale at some future academic soirée, or impressing that good looking co-ed with an allusion to Homer’s sirens in your great books seminar next year.

“If the idea of name-dropping reeks of desperation—and it should, really. No one likes a show-off—then let me remind you of the skills you’ve honed as a result of having read, discussed and written about all those books. You’ve only to read a paper you wrote in English I too see how much more accomplished you’ve become at interpreting difficult texts.

“And the benefits of reading great literature don’t stop at a shiny new skill-set, either. Literature teaches us to empathize with others and exposes us to unfamiliar cultures, times and places, forcing us to examine the world from wider, unfamiliar and sometimes even uncomfortable perspectives.

Simply put, you are better people—more mature, more compassionate, more principled people—in part because of the books you read these last four years.

“Still not convinced?

“What if I told you that classics contain a wealth of valuable advice, advice you need to succeed in the adult world? Take, for example, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, which you read as freshmen. Good old Holden with his love of ducks and red hunting caps and his loathing of morons and phonies. Has any single character experienced a worst Christmas vacation? Let’s see, he begins by getting kicked out of his fourth prep school (‘full of phonies,’ he assures us), gets lectured by his history teacher (‘You don’t have to think too hard when you talk to a teacher,’ he says), runs away to New York city, has a prostitute sent up to his hotel room but decides he just wants to talk to her, gets beat up by her pimp, repeatedly gets drunk and depressed, and winds up watching his kid sister go around and around on a carousel in Central Park, suddenly and inexplicably happy. “‘Uh, yeah,’ you’re thinking, ‘I already know that getting kicked out of school, engaging in underage drinking and hanging out with prostitutes and pimps is a bad idea. I knew that much four years ago.’ Yes, but did you know

Commencement 2012

24

that the longing to help others—to prevent others from falling off the deep end, say—might be the only thing saving you from a similar fate?

“Towards the end of the story Holden tells his sister, Phoebe, what he wants to do with his life: ‘I want to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff—I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out of nowhere and catch them.’ Of course this is exactly what Holden needs himself, someone to stop him from falling, someone to notice that he’s losing it, but curiously enough, from this moment on he begins pulling himself back from the brink. By the time he’s watching Phoebe on that carousel he’s out of immediate danger; he may make it, we think, in spite of his “lousy childhood.” First lesson: serving others—even the thought of serving others—can pull you through the dark night of the soul you will inevitably experience at least once in your life.

“So, that’s a cheery thought.

“Let’s see, sophomore year rolled around and you read another classic, this time about a guy who, unlike Holden, enjoys the perfect childhood—a family who dotes on him, intelligent, devoted friends, access to the finest education and a childhood sweetheart who is kind and beautiful.

Let’s pay Victor Frankenstein a visit next, shall we? Here’s a guy who’s got it all, but by the end of the story he’s lost everything. And I mean everything, including his own life.

Even worse, he has no one to blame but himself. Like all classic novels, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein forces us to ask hard questions: who is the true monster, the creator or the creation? Just because you can do something, should you? Second lesson: even the best intentions can go quickly awry, so beware of how you wield power, lest you inadvertently create a monster.

“Surely by now I’ve convinced at least a few of you that the classics contain more wisdom than your average bumper sticker. For those who remain unimpressed, let me return to Twain and the novel you read your junior year. Twain warns us in his preface to Adventures with Huckleberry Finn, ‘Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it shall be shot.’ Oh yeah, Mr. Twain?

Challenge accepted! Here’s the thing, Huck may hate school and hate Sunday school even more, he may be a liar and a thief and a prankster, but when he decides that he’d rather burn in hell than turn his back on his friend, the African American slave named Jim, he becomes the

25

S t. m a r g a r e t ’s e p i s c opa l s c h o ol

calm, moral center in the midst of a howling storm of violence, slavery and racism. Third lesson: sometimes society’s establishments are dead wrong and the only sure course of action is America’s favorite pastime: open and unrepentant rebellion.

“That leaves us with this year, your senior year, clearly the best year ever. So who shall it be? Vacillating Hamlet?

Lonely Joe Christmas? Struggling artist, Lily Briscoe?

Nah, I don’t think so. What we need is Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, which half of you read this last summer, the rest of you having trekked through 800 pages of the Don’s sallies with his comic sidekick, Sancho Panza, who imparts his own special brand of wisdom: ‘Dying is such a waste of good health’ or ‘A closed mouth catches no flies.’

While the Don and his delusions are tempting, I think a nightmare vision of the future is more fitting.

“You know, give you something to look forward to.

“So imagine a not so distant future in which something has gone wrong—terribly, terribly wrong. A one-world government known as the World State enforces a hierarchical social structure in which people are biologically and chemically engineered to accept their place in society.

The World State controls reproduction through advanced medical techniques such as cloning. In fact, the entire reproductive process is an assembly line, in which artificial wombs construct babies like Ford trucks. The so-called “Hatchery” also determines the genetic make-up of each fetus, even going as far as to deprive the lower class fetuses of oxygen to ensure they are mentally and physically impaired. This entire process forces people to accept their “inescapable social destiny.”

“As if that weren’t enough, the World State socially conditions citizens with songs, slogans and rituals, all of which program people to behave exactly like everyone else. There is no room for personal freedom or individuality in this world. Such techniques brainwash people to prize unthinking obedience and shallow pleasure over critical thinking and meaningful relationships. Final lesson: never let anyone or anything—especially not the government or the media—do your thinking for you. Question everything, lest you wake up one day and discover that the promised utopia has disintegrated into a terrifying brave new world.

“And when you’re reading book after book in college next year, keep in mind that while Twain defined classics as ‘something everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read,’ he also said, ‘the man who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.’”

C

ollege choices

Nicholas D. Adams Southern Methodist University

Joan C. Davidson The American University of Paris

Colin W. Johnson Claremont McKenna College

Hasina Patel Seattle University

Joseph S. Aguero University of San Francisco

Ashley K. Davis University of Oklahoma

Matilda R. Keane College of Charleston

Gregory E. Paul University of Colorado at Boulder

Catherine C. Ahearn Georgetown University

Hayden G. deCarion Saint Mary's College of California

David Y. Kim Emory University

Stephanie Perez St. Olaf College

Robyn Allan Santa Clara University

Oliver W. deCarion Drew University

Matthew N. Kloss California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Veronica A. Powell University of Kansas

Melanie K. Arnold Stanford University

William M. Desmond University of Oregon

Ramon I. Arriaga Colby College

Katherine A. Donahue Stanford University

Natalie A. Barbaresi Pomona College

Matthew L. Duenes United States Air Force Academy

Christopher C. Barwick University of California, Berkeley

Arian J. Faraji University of California, Santa Barbara

Christopher D. Bauer University of California, Santa Barbara

Najet L. Fazai Barnard College

Aurahm J. Bayat University of Southern California

David J. Field Emmanuel College

Jessica M. Bissontz University of California, San Diego

Katherine E. Fragapane Boston College

Paul Brenneman California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Rocelle E. Frost University of San Diego

Conor T. Burke Pepperdine University Martin J. Burke University of San Diego Ivana C. Cantuna University of La Verne Conner E. Carnahan Chapman University Gabrielle E. Carpenter Colby College Jacob H. Carpenter University of Colorado at Boulder Isabella Carracino Chapman University Tara R. Cassano University of St. Andrews (Scotland) Hayden R. Caves University of Colorado at Boulder Esmeralda Chaidez Boston College Elizabeth Chen Johns Hopkins University Tiffany K. Cheng Bowdoin College Crystal Chin New York University Chelsie C. Churchill Brown University George M. Clemmons Haverford College Jake T. Dappen California State University, Fullerton

Jacob M. Garrett United States Naval Academy Jessica J. Garrett Westmont College William P. Gaudreau Harvard University Jonathan D. Gencarella Azusa Pacific University Cole D. Gennrich Johns Hopkins University Ryan E. Gooding Haverford College Lauren S. Gottlieb University of San Diego Madison E. Gottlieb Texas Christian University Andrew A. Greene Southern Methodist University Natasha C. Grey University of Southern California Fabiola C. Hernandez Beloit College Heather M. Hughes University of California, Berkeley Meaghan A. Hurr Columbia University

Ted Ko Harvard University Ekaterini S. Kontoulis New York University Michael A. Kushner University of Southern California Monika I. Laird Texas A&M University Kyle A. Larrabee University of New Hampshire Samantha E. Larsen Wake Forest University Gabriela T. Leichnitz Princeton University Nolan R. Lynch Gettysburg College Ashleigh S. Magnus Westmont College Byron V. Manzo California State University, Fullerton Jennifer A. Manzo St. Olaf College James C. Marcu West Texas A&M University Clementine R. Marcus Southern Methodist University Jordan I. McDaniel California State University, Fullerton Tabitha F. Miller University of California, Irvine Matthew K. Miyamoto University of California, Davis Maxwell C. Monahan Berklee College of Music Emily R. Moore New York University Marina Morales Gonzalez California State University, Dominguez Hills Catherine A. Nally University of California, Santa Barbara

Kent J. Iizuka United States Naval Academy

Abigail E. Nemeth California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Madison S. Jahn Chapman University

Mark A. Olivier Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Bethany R. Johnson Oral Roberts University

Lauren M. Patch Occidental College

Alexander J. Ramadan Concordia University - Irvine Alena M. Riggs University of California, Santa Barbara Alexandria M. Robinson Chapman University Anastasia N. Robinson Providence College Ellen M. Roney University of Chicago Anam Sadruddin Loyola Marymount University Saba Saghafi University of Southern California Katherine T. Schneider New York University Camille B. Sheets The George Washington University David A. Shelly Southern Methodist University Chase L. Stueber University of San Francisco Christian T. Tanaka Babson College Ryan G. Tanaka Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Jennifer N. Tedori University of Pennsylvania Nicolas S. Toubia University of Colorado at Boulder Barrett K. Travis Stanford University Brian E. H. Vail Lehigh University Caroline B. Walters Middlebury College Heather J. Zusman Trinity College Jenna E. Zusman Boston College Nicholas T. Zusman University of California, Berkeley

Commencement 2012

26

S t.

Margaret’s

Episcopal

C

School

lass of

2012

Nicholas D. Adams Joseph S. Ag端ero Mary C. Ahearn Robyn Allan Melanie K. Arnold Ramon I. Arriaga Natalie A. Barbaresi Christopher C. Barwick Christopher D. Bauer Aurahm J. Bayat Jessica M. Bissontz Paul B. Brenneman Conor T. Burke Martin J. Burke Ivana C. Cantuna Conner E. Carnahan Gabrielle E. Carpenter Jacob H. Carpenter Isabella Carracino Tara R. Cassano Hayden R. Caves Esmeralda Chaidez Elizabeth Chen Tiffany K. Cheng Crystal S. Chin Chelsie C. Churchill George M. Clemmons Jake T. Dappen Joan C. Davidson Ashley K. Davis Hayden G. deCarion Oliver W. deCarion William M. Desmond Katherine A. Donahue Matthew L. Due単es Arian J. Faraji Najet L. Fazai David J. Field Katherine E. Fragapane Rocelle E. Frost Jacob M. Garrett Jessica J. Garrett William P. Gaudreau Jonathan D. Gencarella Cole D. Gennrich Ryan E. Gooding Lauren S. Gottlieb Madison E. Gottlieb Andrew A. Greene Natasha C. Grey Fabiola C. Hernandez Heather M. Hughes Meaghan A. Hurr Kent J. Iizuka Madison S. Jahn Bethany R. Johnson Colin W. Johnson Matilda R. Keane David Y. Kim Matthew N. Kloss Ted C. Ko Ekaterini S. Kontoulis Michael A. Kushner Monika I. Laird Kyle A. Larrabee Samantha E. Larsen Gabriela T. Leichnitz Nolan R. Lynch Ashleigh S. Magnus Byron V. Manzo Jennifer A. Manzo James C. Marcu Clementine R. Marcus Jordan I. McDaniel Tabitha F. Miller Matthew K. Miyamoto Maxwell C. Monahan Emily R. Moore Marina M. Gonzalez Catherine A. Nally Abigail E. Nemeth Mark A. Olivier Lauren M. Patch Hasina S.Patel Gregory E. Paul Stephanie Perez Veronica A. Powell Alexander J. Ramadan Alena M. Riggs Alexandria M. Robinson Anastasia N. Robinson Ellen M. Roney Anam Sadruddin Saba Saghafi Katherine T. Schneider Camille B. Sheets David A. Shelly Chase L. Stueber Christian T. Tanaka Ryan G. Tanaka Jennifer N. Tedori Nicolas S. Toubia Barrett K. Travis Brian E. H. Vail Caroline B. Walters Heather J. Zusman Jenna E. Zusman Nicholas T. Zusman

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 400 Laguna Beach, CA

S t. M a r g a r e t ’ s E p i s c o p a l S c h o o l

31641 La Novia

San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675