While Dylan Thomson’s classmates at Concord Christian Academy donned their royal blue robes at CenterPoint Church for their graduation ceremony Saturday morning, he was in Colorado wearing athletic clothes and a bike helmet.
Thomson and his older brother are in the middle of a cross-country bike trip – from San Francisco to Seabrook – to raise money for The Connolly Tough Fund, which supports Concord High principal Gene Connolly and his battle with ALS.
But Thomson wasn’t about to miss his high school graduation. With the help of his friend, Quinn Hull, and an iPad, Thomson was able to watch the entire ceremony over Facetime.
It’s stories like this which characterize this year’s graduating class and their passion for service, said Alice Pinard, CCA’s dean of academics.
“They’ve shown an overflow of love – an overflow of love for one another, love for God, love for the country, love for our families, love for our world,” she said.
Of the school’s 21 graduating seniors, three have plans to take a gap year. Others will head off to colleges, ministries and the U.S. Army in the fall.
For salutatorian Emily Purtell, college means saying goodbye to the Christian day school and friends she has known since kindergarten.
“Yes, we tease each other a lot. But I like to think that the endless teasing shows that we are like brothers and sisters,” she said.
Purtell went on to describe each of her peers individually, celebrating the collection of different talents and personalities the Class of 2016 offered.
Kylie Fulk was the one who could make anyone laugh, who once used her creativity to build a cardboard fort in the school’s main hall. Kevin Yoo was the one known for his willingness to help others and his beloved penguin costume. Each person, Purtell said, was an unforgettable part of her high school career.
“We have come so far together, and I thank God that each and every one of you were placed in my life,” she said.
Jonathan Taylor, the valedictorian, said the class should use a good work ethic and faith – both of which were taught to CCA students – to succeed in their post-high school pursuits.
“We’re all rookies in this together,” he said.
As the seniors prepared to enter the next phase of their lives, Shirley McMechen, an English teacher and the commencement speaker, gave them one last grammar lesson on the importance of living “a life full of active verbs” as servant leaders.
“Love. Help. Look. Rejoice. Give. Do. Live life actively, making a difference where you find yourself planted,” she said. “You must be intentional about looking away from yourself to the needs of others.”
After their teacher’s speech, the students filed on stage to accept their diplomas. Hull had to make two trips – one for himself and one for Thomson, who smiled from Colorado.
Pinard said she believes the students’ time at CCA has ultimately given them life-long friends and a strong foundation – both in academics and the “more important” things.
“Our mission is building integrity and modeling service. We want to build the inner core character of who they are,” she said. “And then, as the outflow of that character, the service comes.”
(Katie Galioto can be reached at 369-3302, kgalioto@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @katiegalioto.)