Commencement 2012

While the administration, trustees, and faculty were led to their seats by bagpiper, Peter Welch the Senior tradition of ringing the bell in Chope Commons took place.

The Invocation was delivered by humanities faculty member, Reverend Lawrence W. Brown. David McGraw, Chair of the Board of Trustees, welcomed everyone to Cape Cod Academy’s 36th Commencement Ceremony.

 

The following Departmental Prizes were awarded by Head of Upper School, Catherine Cetta, Head of School, Phil Petru, and the departmental chairs.

 

Humanities Chair, Richard Bellamy

English Honorable Mention: Meghan McCarthy

English Prize: Phoebe Goldenberg

Social Studies Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Argy

Social Studies Prize: Morgan McCaskey
 

Mathematics Chair, James Sears

Mathematics Prize: Jon Hegarty

 

Science Chair: Brad Garrity

Science Honorable Mention: Courtney Bergh

Science Prize: Phoebe Goldenberg

 

Language Chair: Daryl Forth

Foreign Language Honorable Mention: Phoebe Goldenberg

Foreign Language Prize: Lexi Smith
 

Art Chair: Gretchen Tanzer

Art Honorable Mention: Christian Young

Art Prize: Morgan Foynes

Photography Honorable Mention: Kelly Keen

Photography Prize: Cole Horgan
 

Drama: Richard Bellamy

Drama Honorable Mention: Tatiana Chiu

Drama Prize: Morgan Foynes
 

Music Chair: Sarah Fachada

The National School Choral Awards: Tyler Allen and Lydia Dick

The Musical Theatre Award: Ben Taylor
 

Orchestra Director: Beverly DiPaolo

The Orchestra Award: Hallie Stidham

 

Student Council Advisor: Irene Santos

Student Council Awards:

Vice President – Fisher Churbuck

President – Jon Hegarty
 

The following awards acknowledge the overall qualities of excellence and achievement so important to the character and values of the institution as a whole.
 

The prize for academic excellence acknowledges the students in grade 7 through 11 who demonstrate superior academic achievement and who, just as importantly, are people of warmth, understanding, and determination. This is our way of drawing a real distinction between being smart and using our intelligence wisely.

Established by Nick Accrocco, Class of 2000, the Heart Award recognizes the outstanding individual who has exhibited excellence in the three components of school, community, and friends and family. The outstanding quality in school is effort. In the community it is expressed as a passion for a better world. Among friends and family it is kindness and perseverance. As part of the award, a donation is made to Cape Cod Academy and to a charity of the recipient’s choice in the recipient’s honor.

 

This scholarship was established by Douglas and Cathy Harper, the parents of Doug, Jr., of the Class of ’92. Established in the memory of Roy J. Harper, grandfather of Doug Jr., it recognizes the member of the graduating class who in the judgment of the faculty, has shown the greatest growth in scholarship, coupled with qualities of honesty, compassion, and respect.

The Parents Association prizes- two this year- are awarded to seniors who have contributed un-selfishly to the growth and well being of the school during the course of their years here. These awards include a monetary prize.

 

The Spirit of CCA in Athletics Award goes to those athletes whose individual efforts, coordinated through teamwork and tempered by sportsmanship, result in a whole whose sum is far greater than its individual parts. The winners are not necessarily our most gifted athletes, but those who have contributed most meaningfully to the substance and spirit of our athletic endeavors.

 

In annual honor of Mr. Smith and his inspiring 17 years of Board Chairmanship, we acknowledge that student in grades 9 to 12 who in the opinion of the faculty, has demonstrated the greatest academic improvement during his or her years at CCA.

 

The Citizenship Prize recognizes a student who demonstrates a willingness to share and to cooperate, and a sensitivity to the life and health of the school community. The recipient exemplifies what we mean when we speak of being a good, responsible, and caring person.

 

The Siobhan Leigh Kinlin Award was established by her sister, Mollie McCann Kinlin, a 2010 graduate of Cape Cod Academy. In memory of Siobhan, this award is given to the graduating senior who, in the opinion of his or her teachers, has impressed and touched our community by overcoming personal adversity, enriching us all with shared courage, idealism and accomplishment. The award is in the amount of two thousand dollars. One thousand to be given to the recipient and one thousand to the school.

 

The school’s final commencement award is determined by vote of the upper school faculty. It is awarded to the individual whose many contributions have enriched and invigorated our school over time. While it is clear by now to everyone that there are many truly worthy candidates within the Class of 2012. This year’s recipient has been here since kindergarten and was selected for both her commitment and involvement to school and community life. This young lady has been a member of our yearbook staff since freshman year and currently serves as its Editor-in-Chief. She is President of People-to-People which went to the Dominican Republic to help students learn English. Additionally, she is heavily involved in the Community Service Organization and was recently inducted into the Cum Laude Society this year. Attending Northeastern University on a full merit scholarship next year, this year’s recipient is Lexi Smith.

This unique tribute in our young school saw its debut in 1993 and was given sporadically at first, and now is becoming more regular. So far, 51 students have received it, and over half of those graduated in just the last five years. These are schoolmates known personally to most of our graduates today.

 

We give this to graduates who have been at the Academy since Kindergarten. We have that delightful pleasure of seeing our students learn, grow, and develop over the fullness of the time they are with us, and it is a special delight when it is all thirteen years. Although not technically qualifying for this award, we acknowledge Quinn Caswell, Lane Ehart, Phoebe Goldenberg, and Brendan Taylor who joined Cape Cod Academy in fifth grade and Courtney Bergh who started in grade 6. Our gift for our five who started here in kindergarten is a framed picture, with photographs as a Cape Cod Academy Kindergartener in 1999, those many years ago, and as a Senior this year. With deep affection we thank and congratulate:

 

It has been the tradition of the Senior Class to choose its representative to speak at graduation. This year Fisher Churbuck was chosen by his classmate to deliver the student address. Fisher Churbuck's senior address
 

The Class of 2011 requested that Mr. Keith Lewison Humanities faculty, deliver the Faculty Commencement Address. Mr. Lewison is completing his fourth school year at Cape Cod Academy as a member of the Humanities Department. He is a recent recipient of a grant from the Stanton Foundation to develop innovative approaches to the teaching of Civics, Mr. Lewison is always revising, studying, researching and implementing new strategies for his classes and students. This past November, Mr. Lewison invited and collaborated with non-profit organization - Axis of Hope to engage our students in a conflict resolution workshop around issues concerning the middle east and our sophomores simulated real life roles as a day long concluding activity after many weeks of study. Currently, Mr. Lewison is finalizing work in his United States History Class that will challenge students to look at the issue of freedom from in specific time periods and through the lens of different Americans. The yearbook editorial staff stated: “Mr. Lewison is interested. He knows what he is talking about, and has a true love and passion for what he does. Whether he is discussing battles or revolutions, giving a student helpful advice, or winning a race to the bus against twenty juniors in Newport, he is dedicated to everything he does. He inspires all of his students to succeed at something they really care about. Not because they have to, but because they want to."
Mr. Keith Lewison's Faculty Address
 

Phil Petru, Cathy Cetta, and David McGraw presented the following students with Cape Cod Academy diplomas:

 

Head of School Phil Petru closed the Commencement Ceremony with words of encouragement and wisdom for the Class of 2012. Mr. Petru’s closing 

 

The ceremony ended as the bagpiper led the graduates to a receiving line formed by the faculty and administration so that they could share parting and congratulatory wishes. Faculty and graduates then joined parents and guest for refreshments and congratulations in the Alumni Courtyard.