Speeches, solos, and celebration mark annual ceremony on Simosa Field
Cheshire Academy on Sunday opened its 2024-25 academic year with its Convocation, featuring songs and speeches from students, a Top 10 list from Head of School Julie Anderson, and wise words from three teachers marking their final year at CA after many years of service.
The 231-year-old school, the 11th oldest boarding school in the country, welcomed 371 students from 12 states and 21 countries, including Brazil, Japan, Nigeria, Germany, and Trinidad & Tobago.
Anderson, who has announced she is stepping down at the end of the school year, looked back at her years at Cheshire as forming some of the things she holds most dear. She listed 10 pieces of advice she’s taken to heart in her 22 years on campus – from “Be the person you expect others to be” to “Don’t rush this experience.”
She expressed to those gathered on Simosa Field, “This place is beautiful and genuine. The people you will meet here at Cheshire Academy will change your life. Be open to new relationships and you will find people who will challenge you while supporting and embracing you.”
Sofia Della Porta ’25, of Cheshire, sang an inspiring version of Sia’s “Unstoppable” and Ethan Dong ’25, a music major from Shanghai, China, entertained the crowd with a guitar instrumental. The three retiring faculty speakers, who, with Anderson, represent 115 years of dedication to Cheshire Academy, each addressed the students.
Challenged to speak about the school’s core value of growth, Robert “Chip” Boyd, a CA teacher for 37 years, focused on lifelong learning. “Since my idealistic young adulthood, I have grown ever more convinced of the vital importance of love, imagination, and continuous learning as core values of a meaningful life,” he said. “I’ve learned that becoming and remaining fully human is not simple or easy; it is a life-long project requiring courage and openness to the experience of other people, especially those who suffer deeply in a difficult and often unjust world.”
James “Butch” Rogers, a CA teacher for 32 years, noted everyone from athletic teams and theater companies to national politicians and rescue organizations must collaborate, another core value. “As we open the school year, take the opportunity to meet and work with someone you don’t know, which might be the key to seeing things in a different light,” he said.
Twenty-four-year art teacher Francis Poisson challenged students to embrace the core value of engagement. “There’s a lot going on here,” he said. “But, even if you don’t think you need to or want to be engaged, the spirit of the place will find you and, like osmosis, it will become a part of who you are.”
Convocation capped off a week of preparation for the year ahead, which started with Monday morning classes. Student athletes completed pre-season training, teachers readied their rooms, and boarding students moved into their residence halls.
Student Body President Andy Chen ’25 asked his fellow students to see themselves as “ingredients in a culinary masterpiece.
“Each of us brings something to the table, whether it’s a splash of spice, a hint of sweetness, or a touch of zest,” he said. “But what makes this recipe extraordinary isn’t just the individual ingredients; it’s how they come together, complementing, and enhancing one another to create something truly remarkable.”
2024-25 Cheshire Academy Facts
153 NEW STUDENTS
218 RETURNING STUDENTS
371 TOTAL STUDENTS
U.S. states represented: California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia
Countries represented: Brazil, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain, St. Kitts, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, Ukraine, United States, Venezuela, Vietnam
