On June 11, Unquowa’s 95th year came to an end with the school’s traditional Closing Ceremonies and Commencement providing a sense of bittersweet closure for our community.

In the morning the entire school gathered for our Closing Ceremonies – an event filled with traditions including the recognition of summer birthdays and the reading by faculty of tributes they wrote collaboratively about each member of the graduating class. After watching a funny yet tearful video tribute to the Class of 2013, the eighth graders formed a receiving line in the front of the gym and Ms. Lauer invited the seventh graders to “take the eighth grade seats”. This symbolic move marked the passing of the mantel of school leadership from the outgoing class to next year’s eighth graders, the Class of 2014.

The morning ceremony ended with the fifth grade instrumental ensemble playing “Edelweiss” as every student and teacher in the school passed by the line of graduates to wish each one a personal goodbye – ending the ceremony with tearful high fives, handshakes and hugs.

Awards announced at the Closing Ceremony included the Unquowa Parents Association Award for a Seventh Grader who “has shown the most significant growth in intellectual discipline” which was given to Sara Adriani. Eighth Graders Abigail Knopf and Paul Pinto were named Class Agents and were charged by Ms. Lauer to help their classmates in the Class of 2013 to stay connected to each other and to Unquowa in the coming years. The Costume Closet Key was presented to two Seventh Graders who have shown a particular dedication to the performing arts – Delaney Murray and Alex Morse. Finally, PreK-3 teacher Janice Shannon presented the Ultimate Unquowan Awards to the three graduates who began at the school eleven years ago in PreK-3: Victoria Giacobbe, Paul Pinto and Rebecca Ryan.

Returning to school that evening for Commencement, Unquowa’s 95th graduating class gathered with family, friends, alumni, the Board of Governors and the faculty and staff for a final ceremony of closure and to mark the start of their transition to high school. The Rabbi Colin Brodie offered the invocation and Salutatorian Tristan Murray welcomed everyone to the celebration.

Awards announced at the Closing Ceremony included the Unquowa Parents Association Award for a Seventh Grader who “has shown the most significant growth in intellectual discipline” which was given to Sara Adriani. Eighth Graders Abigail Knopf and Paul Pinto were named Class Agents and were charged by Ms. Lauer to help their classmates in the Class of 2013 to stay connected to each other and to Unquowa in the coming years. The Costume Closet Key was presented to two Seventh Graders who have shown a particular dedication to the performing arts – Delaney Murray and Alex Morse. Finally, PreK-3 teacher Janice Shannon presented the Ultimate Unquowan Awards to the three graduates who began at the school eleven years ago in PreK-3: Victoria Giacobbe, Paul Pinto and Rebecca Ryan.

Returning to school that evening for Commencement, Unquowa’s 95th graduating class gathered with family, friends, alumni, the Board of Governors and the faculty and staff for a final ceremony of closure and to mark the start of their transition to high school. The Rabbi Colin Brodie offered the invocation and Salutatorian Tristan Murray welcomed everyone to the celebration.

After receiving their diplomas from Ms. Lauer and Mr. Greenawalt, Board President, the graduates heard from guest speaker, Patti Popp – Owner of Sport Hill Farm. She emphasized the importance of perseverance and patience in all aspects of life and work. Having collaborated with Unquowa over the years in our Farm-to-Fork dining, environmental education program and summer Farm Camp, Patti knows our school community and mission well. Patti reminded the graduates that the habits they’ve learned at Unquowa of working hard, collaborating and maintaining an unafraid spirit will guide them well in the future.

Valedictorian Grace Haviland described her nine years at Unquowa as a time when she and her classmates became a second family to each other. “Over time, we have become less of a class and more of a family…As we leave here, we’re going our separate ways; but not really leaving each other. These friendships are lifelong and priceless.” On behalf of all of the graduates, she thanked all their amazing Unquowa teachers for believing in each of them.

With a closing benediction from Reverend Michael F. Dogali, we said a final good-bye to the Class of 2013