Congratulations to the MKA Class of 2014
Congratulations to MKA’s Class of 2014! The school graduated 113 seniors during its Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, June 8 at 3:00 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Montclair.
Faculty and trustees led the procession of the Class of 2014 graduates, and Head of the Upper School Dr. David Flocco gave the welcome address, noting that, “Almost to a person, you told me that your class’ story is defined by a ‘coming together’ as seniors that is leaving you closer than you ever imagined and that you feel a sense of sadness that your time at MKA is coming to an end. You’ve established strong friendships, accomplished great things, and undoubtedly leave here with the tools you need to succeed ‘out there’ ... The word most often used to describe your experience here: transformative.”
Seniors John Higgins and Amy Parker then addressed their class. In looking back, Higgins reflected, “I’d like to think of my time at MKA like the hill in front of the Upper School … The hill we climbed as freshmen, looking at the intimidating seniors. The hill we climbed hoping to meet new friends. ... The hill that I once found to be frightening now seems like home. And it’s the hill that none of us got up alone. All of the people here at MKA ... they all watched us roll in each September, knowing it was going to be their duty to give shape to our intellect and humanity ... That's a giant responsibility; and I’m sorry I didn’t appreciate how huge it was until now. We cannot thank you enough.”
Parker then expressed her hopes for the future of the class, “I hope you embark on your journey with an insatiable curiosity, a curiosity that is a combination of enthusiasm for new experiences and the goal of growth. I hope you never settle for anything less than your best self. I hope you take risks that previously wouldn’t have even occurred to you, and find interests you didn’t know you could have … I hope we take what we’ve learned throughout our time at MKA and bring that same sense of community to the next stage of our lives, because these next few years are our chance to live those lessons.”
Headmaster Thomas W. Nammack, the last speaker to address the Class, noted, “School is also not a club – it is not a place to hold us apart from the world, and our purpose is not to maintain your membership in the daily life of the school – in fact, each day that you have been at MKA we have been striving to prepare you to leave … Those who have taught, coached, directed and advised you would not be fully human if they could not acknowledge that, while it is part of the work we have chosen, to prepare you to leave and to say goodbye is not easy. And so, at the end of your time as students here, on behalf of all faculty at MKA, thank you for your hard work, thank you for your honesty and for your humor; and thank you for the ways in which you have made this a better school.”
He then joined trustee Kate Logan in awarding the diplomas, together with faculty members and trustees, who as parents of seniors, participated in the tradition of awarding their own children their diplomas.
Student Council President Sam Zinn and Senior Class President Kassandra Fotiadis, both Montclair residents, delivered the closing remarks and officially concluded the ceremony by ringing the Montclair Academy bell, which dates back almost a century.
The Class of 2014 is matriculating to 72 different schools, that, in Flocco’s words, “Represent the hard work of all of our graduates. We are very proud of all of their successes.”
Arizona State University, Babson College (3), Bard College (2), Bates College, Boston College (3), Boston University (2), Brown University, Case Western Reserve University, Colgate University (2), College of Charleston, Colorado College, Cornell University (2), Dartmouth College, Dickinson College, Drexel University, Duke University (2), Elon University, Emory University, Fairfield University, Farleigh Dickinson University, Franklin and Marshall College, George Washington University, Gettysburg College, Harvard University, Haverford College, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Hofstra University, Howard University, Lafayette College (2), Lehigh University (4), Loyola University Maryland, Miami University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, New York University (7), Northeastern University (3), Northwestern University (3), Oberlin College, Randolph-Macon College, Rider University, Roanoke College, Rutgers University, Sacred Heart University, Siena College, Smith College, Syracuse University, Temple University, The College of Wooster, The University of Arizona (2), The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The University of Scranton, The University of Texas, Tufts University, Tulane University (2), University of California at Los Angeles, University of California at Santa Cruz, University of Chicago, University of Delaware, University of Maryland, University of Massachusetts, University of Miami, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania (4), University of Richmond (3), University of Southern California, University of Vermont, University of Virginia, University of Wisconsin, Villanova University (4), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Wesleyan University (3), West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Westminster School, Wheaton College MA, Yale University (2).
For photos of Commencement 2014, click here