From the Desk Of Dr. Autumn A. Graves

The following is an excerpt from the Commencement address to the Class of 2023 on May 31, 2024

This is the day that the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Today marks a momentous occasion in the life of our School, in the life of today’s 86 graduates and their families.

This class represents so much of St. Anne’s-Belfield’s history. We are excited about the future these students will shape — not just as alumni of our school, but as global citizens.

This spring I held four focus groups with members of the senior class. I use this time not only to learn about their experience at our School, but I explore ways we can be an even better School.

I asked each student to tell me which adult at School they do not want to disappoint. Through their responses, I saw numerous facial expressions and heard through their tone admiration and appreciation. I learned about the depth and breadth of connection between our

students, faculty, staff, coaches, advisors, mentors, and dorm parents.

It became clear that our students have a deep professional and personal respect and gratitude for my colleagues. And this gratefulness for the adults who devote their body, mind, heart, and soul to our students spans from Pre-School to Grade 12.

From Moving Up Chapel, to [Student Body Presidents] Ty and Sumner’s final reflections delivered last night, to [Head of the Upper School] Mrs. Miller’s welcome at yesterday’s Upper School Class Night, we have repeatedly heard about the benefits of curiosity, connection, and being present.

During aforementioned focus groups, I asked students to share one word that encapsulates the Class of 2024. They were not allowed to repeat a previous response. The students consistently chose words that reflect their class’s curiosity,

connection, devotion, and admiration of each other — and School spirit. This unique ability to describe their class with such precision is a testament to their dedication to understanding and engaging with each other.

The senior class’s commitment to meeting Ty and Sumner’s challenge of fostering connections has profoundly impacted our school community. The genuine applause, cheers, fist bumps, and high-fives exchanged at last night’s student awards ceremony demonstrate the depth of our student body’s connections. These connections extend beyond their immediate friendship circles, showing a strong sense of unity and inclusivity across the student body.

The connections you have built are not just the result of curiosity and engagement but also of shared experiences. Whether planning a Spirit Night, participating in a Harkness Table discussion, eating lunch with your advisory group, or playing in a volleyball club tournament,

these moments of shared in-person experiences have been transformative. They have allowed you to show up, be present, and fully immerse yourselves in the experience, thereby strengthening your connections.

As I conclude my observations and appreciation for your class’s leadership, I will amplify one observation each focus group made, which will become my advice for your class.

In every focus group and often in Chapel sermons or speaker introductions, I have heard references to the 9th grade advisory lunch. Remember, it was 20202021. You ate lunch with your advisory group, out of a container, for an hour almost every day.

You were not allowed to use technology to escape awkward silences. Eventually, you had to lean into the quiet and decide to engage with the other people in the room. You spent time playing trivia, debriefing on Chapel sermons or community meetings watched via live stream, or sharing stories from the weekend.

Because of the masks, you really had to look someone in the eyes to see their expressions. Those lunches were a defining experience with your advisor and advisory group.

You had to be curious about each other to make the time pass. And those curiosities, those moments of being fully present, created transformative connections across religion, race, socio-economic class, gender, sexual orientation, and political ideology. You built the strong foundation on which this class stands and for which the entire student body benefits.

As you commence the next chapter of your life, incorporate the power of a shared meal with classmates, dormmates, and teammates to build community and deep connections.

Go to meals in the dining hall or share food in the dorm common areas without your phones being in your hands.

Look at people in the eyes and soak in their expressions.

Listen deeply to their words and tone. Ask follow-up questions to build understanding — not to evoke predatory curiosity. Allow the moments to imprint on your mind, body, and eventually your soul.

I leave you with this quote from this year’s Booth Inspiration speaker, Scott Shigeoka.

“When we use curiosity as a practice of connection instead of only as an intellectual exercise, the goal isn’t to know but rather to understand.”

May you build a life of deep understanding for humanity.

May you be brave enough to ask, “Why?”

May God Bless You and Keep You. Amen.