Graduation 2022

With only their ninth-grade year uninterrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Class of 2022 lived out their high school experience through a historic time, experiencing what it was like to attend school 100% remotely at the tail end of their sophomore year, before returning to a campus and school day much changed from what they had once been used to. But throughout it all, they conducted themselves with patience, grace, and great leadership, and it was CSW’s great pleasure to celebrate their graduation on June 10, 2022.

After the traditional ringing of the Kluchman Bell and procession of students, faculty, and staff, Head of School Lise Charlier and Board Chair Ann Gorson P’16 welcomed guests to the ceremony. In her address to the crowd, Lise shared a personal story about a man she once knew in her home country of Haiti, who set a goal of turning a barren, forgotten piece of land into a lush garden, illustrating the notion that while the problems of the world can at times feel overwhelming, if our graduates simply focus on the small things they know they can influence and control, it can make a world of difference. She encouraged graduates from the Class of 2020 not to forget their “circle of influence,” or rather, what is realistically under their immediate control. “I encourage you to work within that space as it will hopefully bring you a rewarding sense of purpose” she said. “Pitch in what you can, where you can. It is in those spheres that you will find like-minded people and a collective may grow out of it.”

This year’s elected faculty/staff speakers were English faculty member Dolores Minakakis, and Math Department Chair Rashid Chatani. Dolores urged graduates to find balance between preserving and owning the parts of themselves that make them unique, while also giving themselves space to explore, learn, and grow. “I certainly don’t want you to let go of the parts of yourself that you consider most dear — the parts of yourself, perhaps, that you fostered at this school,” she said. “But I do want you to go out into life beyond CSW — whether it is across the street, across the state, or across the world — and be unapologetically you. And take what has made you you at CSW, and don’t be afraid to evolve, to change, and to embrace inconsistencies.”

Rashid offered the Class of 2022 three important pieces of advice: “1) Surround yourself with individuals who root for your success, not those who seek to profit from it. Relationships should be mutually beneficial, not parasitic. 2) Life is not like Mathematics: there is not an elegant proof, equation, or formula that can solve all your problems. You will need skill, dedication, and a bit of luck. 3) Focus on the grind, not the grades. You are not a letter on a transcript. You are not your GPA. You are not your grade. And you are definitely not a recommendation by an institution.”

Ethan Hewlett ’22 and Ella Fairchild ’22 were chosen by their classmates as this year’s student speakers. Ethan spoke about some of the important relationships he’s forged at CSW, and expressed his hope that if students remember anything from their time at CSW, that it be love. “You are more than free to choose whatever five percent of things you hope to remember, but I do hope somewhere in there, in that little kernel of the few things that actually stay, is just a tiny bit of love,” he said.

Ella shared her own transformation from a ninth grader unsure if she would ever finish high school, into a proud, accomplished CSW graduate. “Class of 2022, I encourage you to stand tall, stay true to yourself, and remember the power you hold within you, because I have seen that power with my own eyes and I am evidence of its impact,” she said. “Every snarky comment under your breath, every kind wave across the quad, every explanation of calculus, every dissected pig, every lunch line conversation, every walk up that stupid hill, every comforting hug, every four square ball popped, every moment I got to spend with you is what got me to today. So when you royally mess up so bad that you doubt your own greatness, remember that I never intended to graduate after my freshman year. I am forever grateful to be a footnote in the story of your lives but know that you are more than a footnote in mine.”