On a beautiful morning at the end of May, Watershed School celebrated the graduation of 13 seniors, Alex, Eli, Jenna, Jenson, Keira, Lili, Liliana, Maia, Riley, Ryan, Sela, Sorin, and Violet. These incredible students were fêted individually and as a group by Watershed staff while family, friends, and the 11th, 10th, and 9th graders cheered them on.
Two seniors selected by their class to represent them at graduation. They both spoke of love, learning, and the deep impact of Watershed and the Class of ‘22 on their lives.
Sorin Righi ‘22, recounted his first solo during the fall of his 9th grade year, encouraging the Class of 2022 to, “remember your moon.” He also acknowledged that his class spent much of their time in high school dealing with the pandemic noting,
“…we have taken the time and learned from the unforeseen, and we have the tools and foresight to plan for recovery. We have adapted, settled, and readapted more times than can be counted on both hands, and both feet too. Our friendships push us harder, and our standards are always evolving. I’ve seen unwavering commitment from the people in this class– love so deeply rooted, you could call it Sequoia love.
The seniors of the Class of ‘22 have taught me to be a better man, day in and day out. They have made me love harder, argue better, grow faster. They have pushed me to pursue my endeavors, and most importantly, they have held me accountable. They have taught me to put others before myself, and have created a space where I feel safe to express my needs.”
Maia Wheeler ‘22 reflected on the impact of Watershed experiences on her deepening appreciation of relationships and community. She
“Watershed taught me that no matter where you come from, what your experience is or where your future takes you, every person you encounter has a heart and a story … [and] that love, compassion and open mindedness will help expand the hearts of others. …Watershed has taught us how to build deep relationships, rooted in our ability to create tight connections.”
The Class of 2022 was then welcomed as the newest members of the Watershed Alumni by alumnus and graduation speaker, Sean Holt ’10, who sent them off with this encouragement,
“Class of 2022-- I don’t think you need any sage advice from me or any other alum. [At Watershed] you’ve already developed the foundations of self-reflection that will enable you to understand what you need and what your place is in the world; you have already acquired the foundational courage and adventurous spirit which will enable you to follow the best path for you, and you already have the mental fortitude and perseverance to make it through any hurdle or challenge you put your mind to. I only ask, that when you inevitably come up against one of the many hurdles you will face, you lean on these skills you have developed here at Watershed to make it through it and to make the world a better place.”
Here at Watershed, we are deeply proud of our 2022 graduates. We wish them well, are confident in their abilities to pursue future adventures with thoughtfulness, compassion & wonder, and we’re already looking forward to the times when they’ll come back to visit!
Find Sorin Righi’s ‘22 graduation remarks here.
Find Maia Wheeler’s ‘22 graduation remarks here.
