Caps Off to the Class of 2015!

6/4/2015

As is tradition, Dwight-Englewood School’s Commencement 2015 took place under the 'big tent' on Leggett Field the Sunday after Memorial Day. However, this year’s Commencement not only took place on the last day of May (instead of the usual first Sunday in June) but also marked the beginning of a new era for the orientation of the big tent: instead of facing west as in previous years, it faced the Modell’s Sports Complex and Imperatore Library - thanks to the Hajjar STEM Center construction spilling out onto the northwest corner of Leggett Field.

Speaking of the STEM Center, Commencement 2015 capped off what can only be described as a trying year for the school, but especially for the Class of 2015, which was a recurring theme for several of the speakers during the May 31 graduation. In his amusing and lighthearted speech, Senior Class Speaker and Tufts University-bound Adam Rapfogel '15 noted the many ways in which he and his 125 classmates - one of the biggest classes in recent years - had “drawn the short straw”, but the biggest two were the lack of a senior parking lot due to the construction for a building they will never get to use themselves. During his heartfelt Farewell Remarks, Upper School Principal Joseph Algrant acknowledged what he dubbed as the “parking lot fiasco” while explaining why each graduate received a little car stress ball under their seats: “...Use these cars in good health to squeeze when you need to de-stress, and try to forgive us for the inconvenience. You did take one for the team so that the rest of us can soon have the Hajjar STEM Center, and we appreciate the sacrifice. Maybe your children, say the class of 2040 or so, will one day sit in one of those STEM rooms that you are now facing, and you’ll share with them the traumas of shuttle buses and cold walks up Palisades Avenue.”

After the official Welcome from Head of School Dr. Rodney V. De Jarnett, Board of Trustees President John H. Hajjar MD delivered his final Trustee Address as he rounds out his nine-year tenure on the Board. Speaking as a former parent, Dr. Hajjar advised the class of 2015 to, “...When you get to college, really reflect on what your passions are, and pursue something that makes you happy. … You’ll never know what new passions you have yet to discover if you don’t try new things.”

Senior Class Reader Lisa Mordkovich '15, who will be attending Middlebury College in the fall, read spoken word poet Anis Mojgani’s poem “Closer” before the School's most prestigious, final three senior student awards were announced: the Bailey Award to Clement Wong '15, who will be attending Carnegie Mellon University; the Trustees’ Award to George Georges '15, who is heading off to Princeton University; and the Senior Citizenship Prize to Columbia University-bound Spencer Papay '15.

The Commencement Address was given by Michael Klein '81, the managing partner of M. Klein & Company, LLC, an independent financial and strategic advisor to companies, investors and governments. Throughout his speech, Klein encouraged the graduates to be physically present, as “Time is the only commodity that matters.” In noting that there are “only 130 Saturday nights in college,” Klein advised them to be mindful: “Don't fall for the fallacy of later - don't be convinced with the words ‘next time’. Time is a gift for you only when you are present.” Later on, after quoting President John F. Kennedy’s “If not us, who? If not now, when?”, he mentioned how hard it is to “overcome the inertia of everyday” before offering three points of advice:

1. Pick your path. Whatever you choose, master your craft. You have no choice but to excel.

2. Take this school, and all of its teachings, philosophies and the friends you've made, [as a sturdy base] while you become an adult.

3. Make time for yourself, and make good use of it.

Perhaps as a reminder for the graduates to do good and help others, Klein gifted each senior with a FEED Projects FEED 1 Bag - as he is on the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) Investment Advisory Committee, and FEED founder Lauren Bush Lauren founded the company in 2007 after serving as WFP’s Honorary Student Spokesperson - which many of them put to use right after the ceremony to carry their diplomas!

Then the seniors of the Jazz Rock Ensemble performed a song, which was the fourth of the student musical performances interspersed throughout the ceremony - preceded by the Senior Handbells Ensemble, the Upper School Chorus and StringJam. Following Mr. Algrant’s Farewell Remarks was the presentation of the diplomas before the faculty was led by the bagpipers to form the traditional Dwight-Englewood Honor Guard reception line to congratulate the newest 124 D-E alumni - as Zachary Canelos '15 was at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Singles and Doubles Tennis Tournaments, competing in doubles with junior Martin Schecter '16 [Sidenote: Zach and Martin played in the quarterfinals on Tuesday and while they lost to #3 seed Millburn High School, Zach finished what Coach Joe Iwanski calls “a STELLAR tennis career with an amazing 93-10 won-loss record.”].

To find out the various colleges and universities our new graduates are attending this fall, click here to download the Class of 2015 Matriculation List.

Congratulations to the Class of 2015!

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Caps Off to the Class of 2015!