Congratulations to the Class of 2012! Rain couldn’t dampen the spirits or celebration as over 1,100 people gathered in the Elizabeth B. Searle ’74 Athletic Center on June 12 for the Commencement festivities.
Enjoy the many photos of all these events in the Photo Gallery.
“Even the heavens are shedding a few tears as we say goodbye to this class,” noted Head of School Peter O’Neill in his opening remarks. “Truth be told, this class has had bad weather for Snoball, Ring Dance, Prom—complete with tornadoes and deluges not unlike Woodstock.” He then explained to the students, amid a great deal of chuckling by the adults present, that Woodstock was a music festival in the 1960s during which it rained. A lot.
Commencement included songs by the Ragged Robins and award-winning Chamber Choir, special awards, and the awarding of diploma. The following received awards at Commencement:
Philip J. Jensen Award: Mollie Myers ‘12
The Shriver Award: Gussie Smith ’12
Alumnae Award: Rachel Safferman ‘12
Faculty Award: Haley Austin ‘12Distinguished Teacher Award: Janet Snow Blatchley, Middle School Mathematics
20-Year Pins: Karen Meyers, Middle School Science; Linda Rowe, Business Office; and Mary Stewart, Middle School Art
Mr. O’Neill’s highly anticipated announcement of the winning spirit team was met with hoots and hollers (and a few disappointed members of the losing team). In 2011-12, the Light Blue team accrued 2,460 points; the Dark Blue team, 1,833.
The days leading up to June 12 were equally special, from the Junior Class slide show at the final Morning Meeting of the school year and the Independent Senior Projects (ISPs) presentations to the Awards Ceremony and Commencement Rehearsal, the latter in the Seniors' traditional decorated tunics.
A pdf of the commencement program listing the honorees at the June 11 Awards Ceremony is attached.
Baccalaureate on June 11 at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church honored Garrison Forest’s historic relationship with the church. A non-sectarian school since its founding in 1910 by Mary Moncreiffe Livingston, GFS has enjoyed a long relationship with the church. Miss Livingston’s sister was married to the St. Thomas’ rector, and the first Baccalaureate ceremony was held at the church in 1914.
This year’s service celebrated the School’s culturally and religiously diverse community. The student-selected Baccalaureate Speaker, Kim Marlor, Chair of the Physical Education Department, shared her wisdom and wit with the soon-to-be-alumnae with warm words of advice.
Download a copy of Ms. Marlor’s speech at right.
Mr. O’Neill ended with a poem created by The Class of 2012 in Head of Upper School Melinda Bihn’s English class. The class-written poem is based on a Theodore Roethke poem “The Waking.”
Allow yourself to be uncomfortable
Don’t be afraid to find out who you are.
Aspire to the sky.
Be independent, a role model, and a leader
You can’t break dance, but-
Allow yourself to be uncomfortable
Don’t sweat the little things
Don’t let the clock run your life – run with it, and-
Aspire to the sky
Spend time with your family, even if they make you crazy:
You never know how much time is left.
Allow yourself to be uncomfortable.
Go hard or go home.
Get stuff done.
Aspire to the sky.
Don’t hang on to people who don’t want to be in your life.
Support your friends.
Allow yourself to be uncomfortable.
Aspire to the sky, but watch your road while you are walking.
Class of 2012 Parents: If you did not receive your email from Galeone Photographers with the password-protected online photo gallery of the GFS Commencement, please contact them:
F. Paul Galeone Photographers
2161 Greenspring Drive
Timonium, MD 21093
Email: admin@galeonephoto.com
Phone: (410) 252-5355
To order a copy of the Commencement Video, contact Larry Bridge at:
Larmar Video
11 K Gwynns Mill Court
Owings Mills, MD
Office: (410) 356-5500
Studio: (410) 363-7784
Click here for the link to the Larmar Video order form.