Excitement is building for next week. Colorado Academy holds in-person Fifth and Eighth Grade Continuations and Commencement for the Class of 2021. At each ceremony, we’ll hear from faculty, as they have devoted significant time and thoughts to their send-offs. It’s great to listen in as each student hears just how much they mean to all of us at CA. I want to devote this week’s blog to the Class of 2021. I remember our last day of school in the spring of 2020, when reality hit that the pandemic was shutting us down. I stood outside the Upper School as students headed home. Everyone sensed that their athletic seasons, performances, and classes were about to be seriously disrupted. Indeed, they were. Yet, here we are—15 months later—back together and preparing for one of the more memorable days of their lives.
This Senior Class led with heart and resilience this year. They showed up. They did the work. They applied to colleges in the middle of a pandemic. They rallied their classmates in times of crisis. After national events like George Floyd’s killing and the January 6 Insurrection, Senior leaders led Town Halls in which our community processed ideas and listened to one another. Three leaders started an interfaith alliance club. Seniors created space for conversations. They modeled high character. They also brought joy to the school. This year’s Senior prank was super fun and creative. They cheered each other on in games and at art exhibits.
In other words, this class lived up to long-standing traditions of excellence that I have seen throughout my time at Colorado Academy. They are off to face the world, and you should know that in this class are …
| Artists | State Champion Athletes | Baseball Players |
| Cartographers | Irish Step Dancers | Anglers |
| Rock Stars | Soccer Players | Activists |
| Sculptors | Ceramic Artists | Mentors |
| Classical Guitarists | Coders | Lacrosse Players |
| Debaters | Mock Trial Participants | Vocalists |
| Future Lawyers | Future teachers | Champion Whistlers |
| Nonprofit leaders | Runners | Alpine Skiers |
| Flutists | Rock Climbers | Weight lifters |
| Entrepreneurs | Ballet Dancer | Travelers |
| Volleyball Players | Poets | Pilot |
| Theater Techies | Filmmakers | Robot Builders |
| Great Siblings | Scuba Divers | Volunteers |
| Jazz Artists | Ultimate Players | Tennis Players |
| DJs | Mathletes | Photographers |
| PlatFORUM leaders | Investment Club Members | Racquetball Players |
| Eagle Scout | CLT Mentors | Golfers |
| Swimmers | Field Hockey Players | Mask Sewers |
| Ice Hockey Players | Zoom Survivors |
I could keep going. With diverse interests and talents, the Class of 2021 has left its mark and made us all better. They have lived the mission and are truly “curious, kind, courageous, and adventurous learners and leaders.”