By Carol P. Bartold     

Jun. 24, 2015:  Neither darkening afternoon skies nor evening rain could dampen the spirits of Bronxville High School's Class of 2015 on its June 20 graduation evening.

One hundred twelve seniors celebrated the culmination of their years together and received their diplomas at the school's 93rd annual commencement ceremony, which proceeded as planned on the front steps of The Bronxville School.

An enthusiastic and supportive audience of family and friends braved a wet lawn and damp chairs to sit beneath a sea of multicolored umbrellas and hear addresses by senior class president Brendan Walsh, student faculty legislature president Edward Forst, and parent speaker Brooks Klimley.

"The Bronxville High School has prepared us in ways we do not know yet but will soon learn," said Walsh. "We have been through a lot together and that has only made us stronger and more prepared for what's to come on our journey."

He urged his classmates to embrace their unique experiences and not forget all the wonderful friendships they have made in Bronxville. "I can say with complete certainty that the Bronxville Class of 2015 is ready for the world," Walsh said.

In his address, Forst reminded classmates of the significant ways the world has changed since their kindergarten year of 2002 and noted that "the only thing we can be certain of is that things will not stay the same, and this is exciting."

Forst called upon his classmates to embrace the richness of the past as well as traditions in the face of all that is new. "We members of the Class of 2015 are uniquely lucky because we have known kindness," he noted in giving insight into what he considers an enduring village tradition.

"Let us go forth and build our future and never forget where we came from," Forst said.

The Class of 2015 selected Brooks Klimley as the parent speaker for commencement. He urged the graduates to do things because they want to do them. "I want you to see the future and your role in it from the prism of your own heart and your own mind," he said. "And I want you to be greedy about it."

"Don't be trapped by dogma," he advised, "living according to someone else's thinking." He appealed to the seniors to have the courage to follow their own hearts and intuition. "Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice," Klimley said.

Bronxville Principal Ann Meyer presented the departmental achievement awards to Morgan Taylor for English, George Grealy for Latin, Xiao Huang for mathematics, George Grealy for social studies, Chrysoula Passos for French, Lucy Whitney for science, and Sally Kwok for Spanish.

George Grealy received the Overall Academic Achievement Award.

The Bronxville Teachers' Association gave its annual award, for a student who demonstrates passion for lifelong learning and an interest in teaching, to Chrysoula Passos.

The Gwinn Awards for Excellence in the arts were awarded to Andrew Walter-McNeill for instrumental music, Silas White for band, Sally Kwok for fine arts, Kylie Regan for vocal music, and Luke Geiling for drama.

Congratulations to Bronxville High School's Class of 2015!

To see photos of the graduation, click on this link: Bronxville High School Graduation 2015.

Pictured here:  The Bronxville Class of 2015 on the front steps of The Bronxville School at the commencement ceremony.

Photo above and photos in link by Jim Hudson