Page 28 - Priorities #74

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Cars were decorated with celebratory messages like, “Congratulations Abraham You Did It!”, “Go Panthers!”, and “Woo Hoo!!”. Some might think the cars were getting ready for a parade rather than a graduation, but either way they were there to do one thing- celebrate the 8th grade class of 2024.
In true Priory form, the Star Wars theme music suddenly rang out over the speakers as masked Priory administrators made their way across the field and sat in chairs that were appropriately distanced from one another next to the stage.
After an opening prayer by Fr. Martin Mager, O.S.B., Head of Upper School and Assistant Head of School Brian Schlaak started things off with some honest remarks. “To be honest, from up here, today looks a little bit like the Radiator Springs town meeting in the movie Cars,” he joked. Mr. Schlaak reflected upon what the 8th grade students might tell their own kids what they did during the pandemic of 2020, things like, “zoom classes where you saw your teachers kids run through, or “being taught by someone’s forehead,” and “going to class in your pajamas,” were some of the highlights. Mr. Schlaak then took a serious tone and told the class, “I think your generation is being prepared to lead humanity into a new way of living.”
Then as the student speaker stepped up to the podium, it was like Mr. Schlaak had stepped through a time machine and everyone was looking at a teenage version of him. The student speaker was Augie Schlaak, Mr. Schlaak’s son. In the same familiar booming voice, Augie perfectly summed up the Class of 2024, “All the way from that very first day, we’ve been friends, we’ve been classmates, we’ve been teammates, we’ve been castmates, we’ve been, well — the class of 2024.”
The student elected speaker, Todd Turner took to the stage and as a testament to his close relationship with the class, opened with the many, many nicknames he had
given them. “Abraham, Stella Rose by Any Other Name, Carter, CCR, Teodoro, GC, Nate-Dawgie, JC, Mr. Cirimele, Noah, William Lad,” were just some of the names read as he rattled off the entire 8th grade class. Mr. Turner reflected upon his 22 years at Priory and specifically time in his classroom giving Star Wars word problems like this one, “The ratio of stormtroopers to Jedi was 28 to 3, if there were 140 stormtroopers, how many Jedi were there?” Other favorites included “Agent Turbo, the happy and handsome Canadian boy” and multiple trips to Washington D.C. with the 8th grade class. Mr. Turner closed with an appreciation for the class, “You are an incredible class with sincerity, are talented, and you support one another.”
Finally it was time to for the 8th grade students to receive their diplomas. Faculty members John Sugden and Paul Trudelle theatrically swung lighted light sabers to direct students one by one from their car to the stage. Students approached the stage to upbeat festive music and some were so overjoyed that they skipped or even ran to the stage. The graduates strayed from the traditional graduation robes and instead sported blue and white clothing and a mask with the Priory logo proudly emblazoned across it. As students crossed the stage, they bumped elbows with Mr. Molak, collected a bag that contained their Priory Middle School diploma and then continued their trek back to their car to the joy of their family waiting for them.
In a fitting closing, choral director Albee Mabeza stunned the crowd when he played his guitar and sang Stand by Me. Mr. Mabeza’s music filled not only the warm Portola Valley air, but also the hearts of every single person on that field.
In the words of Mr. Turner, “Please join me in congratulating the class of 2024 on their middle school graduation.”
MS GRADUATION