Crossroads Seniors Graduate

On June 2, 130 Crossroads seniors graduated from the Upper School in a heartfelt ceremony. As is the Crossroads tradition, there was no valedictorian. Instead, students who had submitted speeches for consideration addressed the gathering of families, friends and employees in attendance. They spoke of their gratitude, their unique Crossroads experiences and their love for the School and each other.

Lauren Roper shared her appreciation for her parents, teachers and the lessons she and her classmates learned along their educational journey. “We’ve learned how to reach out for help,” she said, “Something so special to this class is the community we’ve created and the support we’ve fostered. In 13 years here, I can say the biggest lesson I learned is how to ask for a little help—or how to melodically ask to lean on a friend, as Tom Nolan would do.”

The faculty commencement address was given by Upper School English teacher and advisor David Olds, whose oldest son, Cooper, was among the graduating seniors. David, a two-time Olympic trials marathon qualifier, shared that “the appeal of running is not that it can be pleasurable even though it’s hard, it’s that it’s pleasurable because it’s hard.” He urged seniors to push themselves out of their comfort zones and embrace the possibility of failure, noting, “I believe that a carefully contemplated failure is far more valuable to us than accidental or easy success. … What we should fear is complacency.”