Westminster School Celebrates 124th Commencement

Westminster School celebrated the graduation of 112 students in the Class of 2012 at its 124th commencement exercises May 26. During the ceremony, which was attended by hundreds of family members and friends, the class was recognized for its many achievements and contributions to school life.
 

“What a nice way to salute Memorial Day weekend,” said Headmaster Bill Philip in welcoming everyone to the ceremony. “We gather as a school family today to congratulate the Class of 2012, to salute those who have excelled in the different realms of school life, to thank those who have made this achievement possible and to say farewell to those who soon depart our school community. … On the occasion of our 124th commencement, we have much to celebrate!”
 

In his Salutatory Address, Head Prefect Will Stevens talked about the Class of 2012’s many experiences in various areas of school activities. “To the Class of 2012, we did it,” he exclaimed. “I am extremely grateful to be part of such an amazing group of people. As we commence, have confidence in your ability to succeed at any task if you apply yourself with the right determination. We have certainly achieved many forms of success up on the Hill. Now carry on and achieve some more!”
 

In his Outstanding Scholar Address, Peter Tang ’12 spoke about his Westminster experience. “Although it is definitely true that Westminster provided me an amazing education and learning atmosphere, it also gave me so much more than academics,” he said. “While I greatly enjoyed the classroom lessons, it was the outside-of-classroom lessons that shaped me the most.” One lesson he described as particularly important is that “life is not a competition.” In closing, he told his classmates: “For those of us who are graduating today, we are leaving one stage of life and moving on to another. We don’t know what awaits us in the future, but we do know that we can cherish the present moment and work hard for the far-away future that comes just too soon.”
 

Keynote speaker Dennis Daly P’01, ’04, a longtime English teacher and director of athletics at Westminster, began by telling the graduates “this is your day” and telling their parents how “Westminster’s education is priceless.” He then spoke about overcoming failure. “Why failure instead of success and accomplishment? Because I want the Class of 2012 to know the truth about life,” he explained. He shared three stories about personal challenges and how those experiences became defining moments in his life. He then encouraged the graduates to “be enthusiastic, tell the truth, follow your dreams, dive deep, wipe mayonnaise off your face, get up when you get knocked down and save a touchdown or start a new career when you get fired because the future is a stream of nows.”
 

Headmaster Philip and Chairman of the Westminster Board of Trustees Tread Mink ’77, P’ 11 presented diplomas to the graduates. Following the ceremony, the graduates participated in the Westminster tradition of passing their diplomas. They formed a circle on the Senior Lawn and passed the diplomas they received randomly during the commencement ceremony until they received their own diplomas. They then stepped out of the circle signifying their graduation.
 

The following faculty members and students received awards during the commencement ceremony:
 

Presented annually in honor of distinguished alumnus, trustee and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees Townsend Swayze ’55, this award is given to a member of the faculty for outstanding contributions to the life of the school.

Grant Gritzmacher
 

This award is presented annually in honor of Marianna and the late Junie O’Brien P’81, who devoted their lives in service to young people and to schools. It recognizes a member of the faculty who has, over the course of the year, been especially selfless and generous with time and care in the nurture and support of students and whose extraordinary, ongoing personal commitment to young people sets an example to the Westminster community.

Nancy L. Spencer P’13, ’15
 

You Jin Kathryn Kim ’12
 

Natalie B. Biedron ’12

Maria C. Ryan ’12
 

Hadley E. DesMeules ’12
 

Abigail A. Huth ’12
 

Lauren A. Darnis
 

Shilong Tang ’12
 

Shilong Tang ’12
 

Dillon S. Tiner ’12
 

Shilong Tang ’12
 

Abigail H. Woodhouse ’12
 

Randall L. Doyle ’12
 

Randall L. Doyle ’12 and Samantha L. Boures ’12
 

Ellen B. Baker ’12
 

Hadley E. DesMeules ’12
 

Grace A. Brown ’12
 

Jacob W. Medina ’12
 

Isha A. Garg ’12
 

Ellen B. Baker ’12
 

Third in the Sixth Form: Isha A. Garg

Second in the Sixth Form: Ellen B. Baker

First in the Sixth Form: Shilong Tang
 

This award is presented by the faculty to a member of the Third Form for character and leadership.

David Carter ’15
 

This award is presented annually by the faculty to a Fourth Former who shows outstanding personal qualities and concern for the community.

Travis M. Percy ’14
 

This award is presented annually to a member of the Fifth Form who best embodies the qualities of Geoffrey Wilbraham, who gave distinguished and loyal service to Westminster from 1958 to 1994: high personal standards, consistent respect for others, unswerving commitment to the common good, steady insistence on fair play and abiding human decency.

Allison R. Devins ’13
 

This award is given annually to the Sixth Form boy and girl who best exemplify excellence in athletics and who contributed to the character of the team. It is given in memory of Brian T. Bruyette ’77, who in his enthusiasm, sportsmanship, effort and skills, represented all that is best in this school.

Rachel Kennedy ’12

D. Emmet Shipway ’12 and Dillon S. Tiner ’12
 

This award is given annually to a member of the Sixth Form who exemplifies dedication to academics and loyalty to the school.

Ellen B. Baker ’12
 

This book prize is awarded to a Sixth Former who has made an unusual commitment in both breadth and depth to the school’s programs and activities.

Dillon S. Tiner ’12
 

This award is presented to the Sixth Former who, in the opinion of the faculty, is the outstanding scholar of the class. The award is not necessarily determined by rank in class but is based, rather, on the attributes of the true scholar: curiosity, imagination, power to associate new observations with prior experience, thoroughness, appetite for ideas rather than for grades as an end in themselves and the ability to move easily in the realm of concepts.

Shilong Tang ’12
 

Established by the Class of 1966 and recognized as the school’s most prestigious commencement award, the Keyes Bowl is presented annually to a member of the Sixth Form and recognizes the qualities of loyalty, courage, leadership and humility.

Abigail A. Huth ’12