Alexis Ramsey said when she first came to Parker Academy five “long, crazy, terrifying and awesome” years ago, she wouldn’t have dared to speak in front of an audience.
But at her high school graduation Thursday afternoon, Ramsey gave a speech to a small crowd of families, friends, peers and faculty gathered in the school’s parking lot, reflecting on her time at the Concord private day school.
“It is never easy to conquer your fears, but slowly I chipped away at them,” Ramsey said. “Looking back, I can see how far I’ve come since my first day.”
Since the students’ first moments at Parker Academy, the school was no ordinary place. Years later, its graduation ceremony did not disappoint – the six members of the graduating class did not wear caps and gowns, nor did they have a valedictorian.
It was an unconventional ceremony for an unconventional school, said David Parker, the school’s founder and director.
“Parker Academy does have a lot of traditions, but we don’t follow a lot of protocol,” Parker said in his opening remarks. “Or if we do, we reinvent it.”
Open to students in grades six through 12, Parker Academy is a school for those who, for some reason or another, are looking for something different from the traditional school system.
The school is strength-based, Parker said, allowing students with learning differences, anxiety or other emotional challenges to excel in what they’re good at, building confidence along the way.
“I would say this class developed even a little bit more self-confidence and independence than a lot of our kids,” he added. “I think they’re a great role model for upcoming classes.”
Next year, Parker said the students will attend various colleges, technical schools and art schools.
“Life throws a lot at you,” he told the students. “Rely on each other, rely on other people. The knowledge that you can’t do it all on your own – that’s a sign of strength, not a weakness.”
Each of the seniors also received personalized awards – students walked away with honors like the Audrey Hepburn Award and the Trailblazer Award, highlighting their individual personalities and talents.
Ramsey received the Phoenix Award, a special honor given to students who emulate the school’s ideals and made significant strides during their time at Parker Academy, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
All six graduates delivered speeches at the ceremony, reminiscing on their favorite school memories and thanking their families, friends and teachers for years of love and support.
Ramsey thanked her five classmates – Mariah Beltz, Carmen Cooper, Talia Grodman, Joseph Guyotte and Sarah Wheeler – for being a part of her “closest circle of friends,” through all the good and bad times.
“Parker has allowed me to be who I am and to become the capable student I wanted to be,” she said.
At a place where students and staff long since learned to expect the unexpected, Wheeler managed to surprise people with her speech – a Sound of Music medley with the lyrics to each song rewritten to thank a different teacher.
After receiving her diploma, Wheeler reiterated her message.
“I feel very grateful,” she said. “That’s really the best word I can use. It’s not a powerful enough word, but it’s the best one I can think of.”