Class of 2020 Graduates from Middle School

“You have excelled in the classroom with your hard work and dedication, on the stage where so many of you enthralled us with your performances, and on the athletic field where your contributions were many and varied,” Middle School head Charlie Blair told the 132 graduates.  “One of my most cherished memories of the year was seeing you engaged in Envision Richmond where your seriousness of purpose, big thinking, passion, and concern for others were so evident. You made us proud with your work in the community.”
 
Carter Lowe, an SCA co-president, shared memories of the past, focusing on the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child” to make her point.
 
“Throughout our life at Collegiate,” she said, “we have benefitted from the large village that welcomed us.”
 
She spoke of the village-like camaraderie the Class of 2020 developed as they prepared and performed the 8th grade play.
       
“I loved how everyone came together to make a huge production that was so successful,” she said. “If you were in the crew, cast, or even handed out programs, we worked together as a team to produce a show that really made us proud.”
       
And she challenged her classmates to stick together as they move into the Upper School in the fall.
       
“We need to remember that we have this village to rely on and that someone will always have our back,” she said. “We also need to remember to stay true to ourselves and good things will happen.”
 
Her counterpart Varun Natarajan spoke of the future.
 
"Within just a few months,” he said, “all of you will be entering the high school realm, unlocking a world of privilege and opportunity. Each of you will have the opportunity to represent a significant role in the future, in our future."
       
He spoke of ideas, dreams, and aspirations.
 
“It’s our ideas that define us,” he added. “Keep thinking of new ideas, as you never know when you can conjure up a great one. Make sure you don’t waste them. Never simply forget an idea. Keep it as one of the many arrows in your quiver as it may come in handy later in your journey. Steve Jobs once said, ‘Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.’ Follow your own impulses and believe in your own ideas rather than succumbing to others’ ideas of you.”
 
Shreya Sharma received the Fry Cup and Deven Pandya the Hugh H. Addy Award.   Grace Slotterback received the Sue H. Jett Award and Connor Romanosky the Director’s Award. Carter Lowe and Joseph Ascoli were recipients of the D.A.R. Citizenship Award presented annually by the Commonwealth Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
 
Subject area honors:
 
Drama Award: Madison Flinchum, Christopher Grainer
History Award: Charlotte Palmore, Quentin Calhoun
Dance Award: Anaya Wright
French Award: Grace Slotterback, Joseph Ascoli
Latin Award: Catherine Schwarzschild, Deven Pandya
Spanish Award: Gwen Lynch, Andrew Kauders
Chinese Award: Charlotte Palmore, Mac Hester
Ferneyhough English Award: Gracie Schutrumpf
John P. Coates English Award: Davis Jobe
Math Award: Avery Schebell, Varun Natarajan
Science Award: Shreya Sharma, Joseph Ascoli
Physical Education Award: Abby Freeman, Peyton Garst
Technology Award: Avery Schebell, Spencer Hurst
Art Award: Mo Lyu, Jack Bullard
Cox Music Award: Charlotte Palmore (strings), Johnny White (guitar/banjo), Andrew Bullock (band)
Choral Music Award: Emma Blackwood, Davis Jobe
Highest Academic, 8th grade: Connor Webb, Lilly Brand
Highest Academic, 4 years: Shreya Sharma, Deven Pandya