News & Photos

Picture-Perfect Eighth Grade Closing

It was a well-deserved, picture-perfect morning for the Eighth Grade Closing Ceremony on Monday, June 2. After a year in which most major events for the Class of 2029 had been dampened by soaking rain, the students, their teachers, and families were delighted to celebrate the occasion on Childs Memorial Terrace under clear skies.

The program began with student speaker Betsy Geddes, who looked at the journey taken by the Class of 2029 through Lower School and Middle School, noting that while each of her classmates may have traveled on a different path, they never stopped having fun. “We raced, we played, we sang, we danced, we painted, and coded. We laughed, we learned, and we found joy in the everyday,” she said.

Then, Nitesh Cherikuri, focused on the path ahead, drawing parallels to the game of Chess. He noted, “High school, like chess, isn’t always about playing perfectly. It’s about staying calm, not repeating mistakes, thinking before you act, and, win or lose, enjoying the game.”

After the awards presentation, Head of Middle School Robyn Little gave remarks reminding the eighth grade class that throughout their rainy year, they learned to be resilient, flexible, creative, and open—traits that will serve them well in Upper School and beyond.

Then, Head of School Dave Farace '87, Associate Head of School Kate Mueller, Associate Head of Middle School Becca Mungai, and longtime faculty member Jon Aaron '72 joined Little to present the Class of 2029 with their certificates. Following the milestone moment, the McDonogh Singers under the direction of Scott Barton, sang the Dedication Hymn, and Dr. Kevin Costa gave the benediction. 

Watch a recording of the ceremony here.