June is a month of beginnings and endings. For most schools and school districts, June represents the end of the school year. But June also represents beginnings. June represents the beginning of summer for many students. June also represents the beginnings of adult life, for the graduating students of the class of 2021. A few weeks ago, I was honored and privileged to deliver the commencement address for The Pinnacle School and The Spire School of Stamford, Connecticut.
June 18th was a gorgeous day for a graduation ceremony – ordered right out of central casting complete with blue skies and puffy white cumulus clouds. Students shifted in their seats, arranged at round tables in an outdoor pavilion underneath a retractable roof at the Tokeneke Club in Darien, Connecticut. I haven’t been to a high school graduation ceremony since my own thirty years ago, but rarely have I been as touched as I was by the stories of the students who stepped up to the podium to accept their diplomas, to accept their gift of a specially and particularly selected book from the faculty and staff, and to say a few words about their journey.
The road to graduation for students in special education is often not a straight one. Many students have attended multiple schools in their career, often multiple schools in their high school career. Sometimes they’ve been bused a long distance to a school outside of their public school district. Many students have walked into new schools, year in and year out, and struggled through environments that could not or would not support their individual needs. As I watched each student from Pinnacle School and then Spire walk to the podium to give their individual speeches about their paths, I was blown away by the collective resilience that I saw in the students, and felt in the room. Their bravery, hard work, perseverance, and yes – resilience – was an inspiration to everyone in the room.
NOTE: Thank you to The Pinnacle School, The Spire School, and Greenwich Education Group for inviting me to share in this incredibly special day. A special thanks goes out to Tammy Moscrip, Charlie Manos, Dede LeComte, Sunan Jones, Amy Daniels, and last but not least – Victoria Newman.
https://www.thepinnacleschool.org