Collegiate School Seniors Attend Final Assembly

The end of the school year is always bittersweet. There are goodbyes, sure, but there are also ebullient reflections of growth, which give the goodbyes a rosy warmth. There is gratitude, after all, in looking back at your progression as a student. 

With the Class of 2022 and the rest of the Upper School joined together in Oates Theater for the Senior Send-off assembly, four students from the Senior class shared thoughts about their time at Collegiate. 

Ian Quindoza ’22, Senior Class president, spoke about the deep connections he developed during his time at Collegiate. “I’ve come to realize that this campus itself — and many of its features — hold a fair share of my emotional connection to this School and to the people in it,” he said. The places we gather as a community — including Grover Jones Field, Centennial Hall and the Jim Hickey Track — create the heartbeat of the School. 

During his final moments as a Collegiate student, Ian has found himself walking the campus grounds with a quiet appreciation. “One of my favorite things to do lately is to run in the evening and then come back and sit on the track by myself, silently reminiscing,” he explained. “My heart fills with such an appreciation for everything the School has given me.” 

Lauren Lucy ’22, SCA Co-Chair, spoke of how her class exemplifies Collegiate’s values and how her peers have shaped her as a student. “Looking in the seats in front of me I see the faces of each of my classmates,” she said. “And whether I’ve known some of you since Kindergarten, or maybe just from recent years, I can say with confidence that I have learned something from every single person in this class.”   

Lauren encouraged her classmates to carry what they’ve learned at Collegiate into the broader world, exemplifying excellence, love of learning, honor, respect and community wherever they go next. “I encourage everyone to remember the five values we’ve been taught here at Collegiate and demonstrate these lessons we have learned from our classmates over the years. I am proud to be a part of this community and will take these values with me into the future.”

After a moving rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t she lovely” by Donovan Williams ’22 and Dylan Robinson ’22, SCA Co-Chair Will Pace ’22 began his remarks. “I am forever grateful for this Collegiate community and for my friends,” he said. “In my eyes, the Class of 2022 has made a positive mark here at Collegiate. The spirit and camaraderie among our class that I’ve seen has been tremendous. As I embark on the next chapter of my life, I will never forget the relationships and the connections I have made with each of you.” 

Senior Class President Molly Woods ’22 elaborated on the gratitude she holds for the Collegiate community. Her speech took the form of two thank you notes that she addressed to her Class of 2022 and to the faculty and staff. “For the past 13 years I’ve been surrounded by the smartest and most caring teachers and administrators,” she said. “I can truly say that I feel valued by every one of my teachers — not only as a student, but, more importantly, as a human being. So thank you, and please know you’re more than just teachers to me, and I will forever remember all you've done for me.” 

Molly then focused her gratitude on her fellow students in her graduating class. “We have created something special here,” she said. “Being with one another for most of our lives has allowed us to have a deeper understanding for one another, which has allowed us to create deeper relationships and respect for each other. But what truly means the most to me is that we turned our love and respect into a tremendous amount of support for one another. We’ve taught each other lessons, we've learned what friendship does and does not look like, and, more importantly, we’ve given each other our childhoods. So thank you. Even though we won't physically be together next year and beyond, we will always be with one another.” 

Head of the Upper School Patrick Loach took the stage next, reminding the audience that the Class of 2022 possesses a perspective that is unique from the rest of the students in the Upper School: They were the only class that spent a full year in the Upper School pre-COVID. With this insight, Mr. Loach explained, the Class of 2022 gave the School a gift. “They led the way in rebuilding our sense of community and school spirit,” he said. “They had to teach us again what it meant to be members of the Collegiate Upper School. It was important and enormous for us to be able to get back to normal and for you to lead the way. We are all grateful for that. I hope you will look back with pride on this important part that you played in this School’s history.”