A Distinguished Class

It’s only right that this unprecedented recognition would honor a group whose Senior year was marked by resilience, leadership, and an unshakable sense of community in the face of unprecedented times. 

When Elizabeth Dolan Wright ‘01, President of the Alumni Association,  welcomed the crowd, she set the tone: this was not only a reunion, but a celebration of a class whose bond had been forged through the challenges they faced. But it was Addison Smith ‘20 and Austin King ‘20, the class’s SCA co-chairs, who gave voice to what it felt like to grow up together at Collegiate. They spoke of long days spent side by side in classrooms, out at Robins, and in rehearsal spaces, and how those hours wove classmates into something more like family. Both recounted little moments from their 13 years at Collegiate: listening to Mr. Turner strum his guitar in Kindergarten, climbing the rock wall in Estes, nervously preparing for Senior speeches—each captured the spirit of a childhood lived in community. “We probably spent more time with one another than we did with our actual families,” Smith admitted with a smile, as classmates nodded knowingly.

What they remembered most was not the grand events, but the small ones: riding on their Senior buddies shoulders, the pajama-clad whistle Brunch mornings, the pep rallies filled with green and gold, Seal bursting with uncontainable energy. Smith urged classmates to carry those recollections with them: “As you’re walking around campus this weekend, try to remember the little moments, the conversations, the laughs and the memories made along the way. Coming back together allows us to revisit these memories, relationships, and experiences from the first 18 years of our lives, reminding us of where we came from and how far we’ve come.” It was a reminder that their shared past was not just nostalgia, but the foundation of who they had become. They ended on a note of gratitude “Because I didn't get to say this five years ago, I want to thank everyone that was a part of my high school career”, continued Smith. “I'm so grateful for all the faculty and staff, my classmates and my coaches. You all shaped me into the person that I am today, and for that, I'll be forever grateful.”

Patrick Loach, Head of the Upper School, could not hide his affection for the class he called “at the very top his favorite classes.” He narrated shared memories while flipping through a projection of photographs—pep rallies, musicals, art shows at the Visual Arts Center, and Feast of Juul—recalling their collective energy and talent. Chicago, he declared, had been one of the finest productions in Collegiate history. Boys’ track winning the state championship, and the girls coming in second, unforgettable. Yet for all the pride in accomplishments, what stood out most was his simple admission that the Class of 2020 held a special place to him because of the quantity and quality of relationships he formed with the students: “I think I got emotional because of how much I really love this class," said Loach. “I think we didn’t get to celebrate your class in all the ways that you all deserved, but I’m glad we can do a little bit of that this weekend.”

When Head of School Jeff Mancabelli took the stage, he framed the award in the context of Collegiate’s long history of distinguished alumni. An NFL player, a vice admiral, a global artist, and entrepreneurs—the honor had always recognized individuals who carried the School’s spirit into the wider world. “Your story is truly like no other,” he told them. “You faced a moment in history no one could have anticipated. Yet you adapted, persevered, and overcame the challenge. In true Collegiate spirit, you refused to allow this to break you.”

He pointed to their accomplishments since—graduates pursuing advanced degrees, winning Fulbright scholarships, excelling in college athletics, and beginning careers across industries. He concluded by saying, “ you remind us that while you have each taken your own path, together you have distinguished yourselves not only by your accomplishments, but by the strength of your character and your leadership.

Then came a surprise. From the double doors of Estes, the Class of 2032 streamed in, now 6th Graders and noticeably taller than when they last stood beside their Seniors five years earlier. Guided by Choral Music Director Ryan Blevins, they lifted their voices in I Am a Promise, the song traditionally sung by Kindergartners to their Seniors, a ritual the Class of 2020 had missed in the spring of their graduation year. What the pandemic once took away was restored in that moment. Phones rose to capture the scene as members of the Class of 2020 proudly recorded their former buddies, before joining in to sing Hail Collegiate. With arms wrapped around one another, surrounded by friends and family, what had once been a lost experience became a new collective memory– one filled with joy reclaimed.

Each member of the class received a Jefferson Cup, a recognition of the class that embodied grace and turned challenge into strength. The ceremony served as a reminder that though their Senior year ended abruptly, their legacy was only beginning. Later that night, under the glow of string lights at the Oyster Roast, the Class of 2020 mingled and laughed, their voices carrying across the campus that had once been their second home.

While the Class of 2020 will always be remembered as the year school was cut short, more than anything, they will be remembered as a class that showed Collegiate – and each other – what true community looks like. Their story now belongs to the School’s legacy, a testament to resilience and to the bonds that last far beyond graduation.