Blair Academy marked its 170th commencement on May 24 as the members of class of 2018 received their diplomas before an enthusiastic and appreciative audience of Trustees, faculty, students and family members. Assembled on the sun-dappled lawn in front of Sharpe House, seniors celebrated their accomplishments and promising futures as they enjoyed their final class gathering before joining Blair’s alumni ranks. To watch a video of the ceremony, click "play" below.

The traditional faculty, Trustee and senior procession opened the graduation ceremony, after which Blair chaplain and religion and philosophy department chair the Rev. Lisa Durkee offered the invocation. Head of School Chris Fortunato and Senior Class Council members Helen Mercedes ’18 and Ronan Smarth ’18 each stepped to the podium to welcome guests, thank all those who made students’ Blair experience possible and reflect briefly on the momentous occasion.

Presentation of faculty awards and appointments to the United States service academies followed (please see list of appointees below), after which three top student prizes were accorded: Kenza Fernandez ’18 and Emma Mohlmann ’18 received the Headmaster’s Prize; William Kaiser ’18 won the Blair Academy Trophy; and Rebecca Xi ’18 was named class speaker as the recipient of the George P. Jenkins ’32 Prize.

Rebecca offered perspective on her Blair experience, sprinkling in a few quotes from Marvel and DC Comics, which she discovered during her junior year and has grown to love. Noting that the super power she secretly longs for is the ability to fly, she described graduation day as a day on which the entire class is flying together. Yet there have been times when each of them has fallen, too, and they’ve learned a great deal from those falls. “Flying and falling, failure and triumph, everything has happened for a reason,” she said. “And that reason is this moment, this day, this time of celebration and smiles and stomach-clenching thoughts that we’ve made it, we’re actually here.” Looking to the future, Rebecca advised her classmates, “We have so much ahead of us, in college and beyond. We will fly and we will certainly fall. But, like we have during our brief time at Blair, we will become all the better for it.”

The moment that many in the audience were waiting for arrived as Assistant Dean of College Counseling Britt Freitag called each graduate’s name and Mr. Fortunato conferred diplomas. Handshakes and hugs were shared as the graduates crossed the podium and then returned to their seats for the conclusion of the ceremonies.

Mr. Fortunato took the opportunity to advise Blair’s newest alumni one more time before they headed off to make their mark on the world. Noting that each of us is an unending work-in-progress, he affirmed that the members of the class of 2018 are all becoming exactly what the world needs to make it a better place. He also encouraged seniors to carry the “Blair bubble” wherever they go. “Inside that bubble is the best you’ve experienced here and the best that you’ve become, and it lives in the good work you’ll do in the lives of others,” he said. “So spread the ‘bubble’ beyond this campus, and go make the world more like the best that you’ve experienced and created here.”

Finally, Mr. Fortunato introduced Richard Rubin ’68, longtime class representative of this year’s 50th-reunion class, who presented the class of 2018 pennant to Timothy Johns ’18. As the Blair Academy Commencement Ensemble struck up Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” the class of 2018 triumphantly processed from Sharpe House, through the Arch and into the waiting arms of their cheering families and friends. Congratulations, class of 2018!

Faculty awards presented at graduation:

Apgar Award for Teaching Excellence: English teacher Douglass Compton
Riether Residential Life Award: Associate Dean of Admission Teddy Wenner ’96
John C. and Eve S. Bogle Teaching Prize: Performing arts department chair Jennifer Pagotto
Headmaster’s Faculty Prize: fine art teacher Tyson Trish
Tedlow Teaching Prize: Associate Dean of Admission Leucretia Shaw

Appointment to the United States Merchant Marine Academy:
X’avier Carbonaro ’18

Appointments to the United States Naval Academy:
James Joyce IV ’18  
Thomas Menoni ’18
Jade Torres ’18

To view more photos visit our Flickr album.