A Big Day for a Big Family
Graduation Day, it’s safe to say, brings with it a broad spectrum of
emotions. There’s unbridled excitement, of course, for few experiences
can create the exhilaration that seniors feel when their names are
called and they walk proudly across the stage, receive their diplomas,
and become alumni.
There’s always a tinge of sadness as well. One journey, a long and sometimes devious one, has come to an end. Another, this one filled with expectation and uncertainty, has begun.
Families, too, share this rite of passage. A blink of a teary eye ago, it seems, their sons and daughters took those first tentative steps into kindergarten. Where, they wonder, did the time go?
No one at Collegiate’s commencement today knows the drill better than the Jarvis clan. Mom and Dad – Christy ’68 and Michael ’64 – are graduates. Their daughters Jenna ’97, Liza ’99, and Maria ’02 walked the same path that their son Michael walked this morning.
There’s always a tinge of sadness as well. One journey, a long and sometimes devious one, has come to an end. Another, this one filled with expectation and uncertainty, has begun.
Families, too, share this rite of passage. A blink of a teary eye ago, it seems, their sons and daughters took those first tentative steps into kindergarten. Where, they wonder, did the time go?
No one at Collegiate’s commencement today knows the drill better than the Jarvis clan. Mom and Dad – Christy ’68 and Michael ’64 – are graduates. Their daughters Jenna ’97, Liza ’99, and Maria ’02 walked the same path that their son Michael walked this morning.
Their children are lifers. That’s 13 years times 4. That’s 52 combined years of car pools, parents’ nights, conference days, Village Green Fairs, athletic events, and, well, tuition. That’s not all.
Christy’s mother, Elizabeth Boinest Conner, graduated from the Town School in 1941. Her sisters Betsy Flippen ’68, Margaret Gentil ’70 (whose daughter Claire also graduated today), Mary Bland ’72, and brother Rusty Conner ’74 are lifers as well. And Tim Jarvis, one of Michael’s brothers, earned his Collegiate diploma in 1977. Serious connections. Very deep roots.
“There are definitely mixed emotions,” said Christy as she reflected on the end of an era for her family. “Michael is really ready to go to college, and I’m excited for him, but when I think of all the years I’ve driven out here… All that’s going to change.”
What won’t change for the Jarvis family – and, hopefully, the others whose names won’t appear in next year’s directory – is the chief reason many of them came to North Mooreland Road in the first place.
“The academic program and curriculum are outstanding, but I think you could have that experience elsewhere,” Christy continued. “The intangible qualities are what has meant the most and made the experience unique.
“The relationships between teachers and students and the teachers’ effort to get to know each child and develop each child’s potential, the emphasis on the honor system, and the development of character are so important.
“Collegiate has always been accepting of diversity. You gain a real appreciation for others. That’s what helps later in life.”
Christy Jarvis began her Collegiate tenure on Monument Avenue and, as a rising fifth grader, was part of the move to the Far West End. She’s seen tremendous evolution, all for the best, she feels.
“Going co-ed (in 1986) was the biggest change,” she said. “It prepares you more for the real world.
“The athletic program has so many offerings. Fine arts have grown in leaps and bounds. So have community service, global exposure, travel opportunities.
“Collegiate has prepared my children for college and for life.”
When if comes to sending kids off to college, I reminded her, you and Michael have plenty of practice. What advice can you give parents new to this graduation thing? A knowing smile crossed her face.
“They’re 18 years old,” she said. “You have to let them experience their new freedom and not try to call the shots from home base. They get a good start here. They learn to be responsible, to manage their time, to make good choices. When they move on, you have to let them continue their journey to maturity and becoming an adult.”—Weldon Bradshaw (wbradsha@collegiate-va.org)
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Christy’s mother, Elizabeth Boinest Conner, graduated from the Town School in 1941. Her sisters Betsy Flippen ’68, Margaret Gentil ’70 (whose daughter Claire also graduated today), Mary Bland ’72, and brother Rusty Conner ’74 are lifers as well. And Tim Jarvis, one of Michael’s brothers, earned his Collegiate diploma in 1977. Serious connections. Very deep roots.
“There are definitely mixed emotions,” said Christy as she reflected on the end of an era for her family. “Michael is really ready to go to college, and I’m excited for him, but when I think of all the years I’ve driven out here… All that’s going to change.”
What won’t change for the Jarvis family – and, hopefully, the others whose names won’t appear in next year’s directory – is the chief reason many of them came to North Mooreland Road in the first place.
“The academic program and curriculum are outstanding, but I think you could have that experience elsewhere,” Christy continued. “The intangible qualities are what has meant the most and made the experience unique.
“The relationships between teachers and students and the teachers’ effort to get to know each child and develop each child’s potential, the emphasis on the honor system, and the development of character are so important.
“Collegiate has always been accepting of diversity. You gain a real appreciation for others. That’s what helps later in life.”
Christy Jarvis began her Collegiate tenure on Monument Avenue and, as a rising fifth grader, was part of the move to the Far West End. She’s seen tremendous evolution, all for the best, she feels.
“Going co-ed (in 1986) was the biggest change,” she said. “It prepares you more for the real world.
“The athletic program has so many offerings. Fine arts have grown in leaps and bounds. So have community service, global exposure, travel opportunities.
“Collegiate has prepared my children for college and for life.”
When if comes to sending kids off to college, I reminded her, you and Michael have plenty of practice. What advice can you give parents new to this graduation thing? A knowing smile crossed her face.
“They’re 18 years old,” she said. “You have to let them experience their new freedom and not try to call the shots from home base. They get a good start here. They learn to be responsible, to manage their time, to make good choices. When they move on, you have to let them continue their journey to maturity and becoming an adult.”—Weldon Bradshaw (wbradsha@collegiate-va.org)
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