Blue Ridge School in St. George, Virginia, graduated 51 students on May 27th in the School’s first on-line commencement ceremony. The global pandemic forced the School to close its campus in early March while the students were away for spring break. The faculty quickly developed a comprehensive distance learning program that allowed the students to fully complete their classes with face-to-face instruction over video conference. To end the academic year with an online ceremony was not preferred, but indeed fitting.
The Class of 2020 hails from 14 U.S. states and 10 countries around the world. Rather than gather with their families on campus for graduation, the graduates gathered in their homes—across time zones and language barriers—to celebrate this achievement.
Senior Class President and four-year student Xuanzhe “Mike” Han, who was unable to return to his native Beijing, China, addressed his classmates from the home of his classmate Julien Couraud in Alexandria, Virginia. He said, “Life is a pain sometimes, but we just keep living because there are beautiful moments that will make it worth the while. We all had moments like these during our time at school and in the end the relationships that we established here and the memories of our high school years will be the only legacy that matters. As we start a new chapter in our lives, we’ll face more challenges and life will get rough, but we will also have more good moments. Sometimes—and I know it sounds cliche—you have to go through a storm to see a rainbow. So I just want to thank everyone for four amazing years, and as we move on from Blue Ridge make sure you stay in touch with those you care about. I wish everyone the best of luck.”
Headmaster Trip Darrin addressed the graduates and their families from the pulpit of Gibson Memorial Chapel. He encouraged the graduates to use their experience of completing high school during the pandemic to their benefit. He said, “The current situation we face reinforces the power of mindset. We don’t know how this pandemic will affect the Class of 2020. But those who put their minds to making the most out of what seems less, they’ll be the ones who are made stronger and who become grittier. Simply how you approach this difficult thing, this coronavirus that looks like a weird Koosh ball, that will affect any changes you undergo during the yet-undetermined span of time that COVID-19 rules the world. You’ve been encouraged and sometimes prodded by Blue Ridge advisors and teachers to establish goals, to set your mind to accomplishing those goals, and to stick with it. That can—and should—be happening right now. Especially in a time that gives you precious little to control, there is agency and power in taking on a proactive mindset. And there’ll be more challenges to face down the road after this virus recedes.”
Blue Ridge School is planning on having an on-campus ceremony for the Class of 2020 in late July. Senior Class awards will be presented on that occasion.
