An alum returns as keynote speaker, a new tradition takes root, and 111 graduates carry CA’s lessons forward
Cheshire Academy held its historic 232nd annual Commencement Exercises June 6 in a festive celebration of chances taken and given and the school’s faith in each student’s burgeoning potential. Under sunny skies and a warm wind, the nation’s 11th oldest boarding school awarded 111 degrees and several awards to seniors and postgraduates on the campus’ Slaughter Field.
Commencement Speaker Christi Lockwood ’04, Ph.D., an associate professor of management at the University of Virginia, told the Class of 2026 to find opportunities to take chances on themselves and others and reflect on the effect of their years at CA.
“At the time, I didn’t realize the power of being part of a community of people who believed in me before I even believed in myself,” she said, “but in retrospect, that belief was, and is, the foundation of any success I’ve ever come to realize.”
Other speakers echoed Lockwood’s sentiments, encouraging the Class of 2026 to carry the character-building lessons they’ve learned at the Academy with them as they continue on to their right-fit colleges and universities.
Salutatorian Giselle Clark, a three-season athlete from Hamden, CT, spoke of a rainy, steep journey along part of the Appalachian Trail. Her poncho ripped as she slogged up and down a treacherous hill, but she gained life lessons from the people she met along the way.
“So, as you move forward into college and all that comes with it,” she told her classmates, “remember to take note of the small things, and pay attention to those around you. It may not seem like much, but those soft spoken moments and pieces of advice are deeply rooted in compassion and community.”
Valedictorian Qianyi “Linda” Li, of Chengdu, China, has been a peer tutor and active member of the Asian Student Union. Her speech centered on the worth of every student – beyond their college acceptances and career prospects.
“We are three-dimensional human beings that can’t fit into a two-dimensional resume paper,” she said. “Especially now when AI can outperform us on almost everything we’ve been trained to be valued for, the things that make you irreplaceable are exactly the things that can’t be measured. The way you move through the world. The specific way you make someone feel seen. Your kindness, your love. The specific unquantifiable experience of just being you.”
Li and Clark were among many seniors who earned diplomas through the prestigious International Baccalaureate® Programme, a challenging curriculum aimed at developing a capacity for inquiry, research, collaboration, and problem solving. The Class of 2026 included students from seven U.S. states, Bermuda, China, Georgia, Jamaica, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam.
In addition to diplomas, Cheshire Academy recognized English teacher Stephen MacDonald as the 2026 recipient of the D. Robert Gardiner Excellence in Teaching Award.
Cheshire Academy bestowed several honors on members of the Class of 2026. They were:
- The Armando Simosa ’08 Award: Ryan Smith of Cheshire, CT
- Bevan Loree Dupré ’69 Award: Deanna Dixon of Cheshire, CT
- Jennifer Hawke-Petit Book Award: Brayden Matthias of Guilford, CT
- Cheshire Academy Alumni Association Cup Award: Abigail Frempong of North Haven, CT
- The Leah Stancil Award: Arav “AJ” Chittilappilly of Singapore
- The Barbara Vestergaard Award: Dezmin Beaudwin of Cheshire, CT
- The Jeffrey T. Marshall Scholarship Award: Liam Foster of Smith’s Parish, Bermuda
- The John J. White Leadership Award: Nia Jackson of Prospect, CT
- The Karen J. Smith Scholarship Award for Scholastic Improvement: Rory McCormack of North Haven, CT
- Nicholas J. Susla ’48 Book Prize: Yifan “Fannie” Zhu of Shanghai, China
- The Ralph Morgan Griffiths Award: Zhuoran “Cody” Xu of Tongling, China
- The Sheridan Plaque: Giselle Clark of Hamden, CT
- The Michael A. Vanacore Award: Jackson Van Ness of Southbury, CT
Near the ceremony’s end, Head of School Tom Woelper P’26 turned his attention to the formidable rock at the edge of Sevigny Field. The Class of 2026 had it placed there, painted Cheshire Academy blue, and adorned it with their names, starting a new tradition for senior classes to come. It will be repainted with new names by new graduates every year, he reminded them.
“And that’s the secret of the rock,” he said. “No single coat of paint matters very much. What matters is the layers – many hands, across many years, agreeing to add to the same thing. A team. A tradition. A school.
“Now go find the next ‘rock’ –– and be brave enough to be the first coat of paint.”
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