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Class of 2025: Celebrating Their Newly Blazed Trails
On Sunday, June 8, friends, family, and supportive community members gathered at the Seattle Convention Center Summit to applaud seventy-eight members of The Bush School’s Class of 2025 on their newly blazed trails. This joyous and heartfelt occasion marked their transition from students to graduates and the final tenure of Head of School Percy L. Abram.
“As you move into these next four years and whatever lies ahead,” said Dylan K. '25 in her opening remarks to her fellow classmates, “don’t just exist. Your best moments will happen in between all the things you’ve planned for yourself. Bush has given us all so many things to be grateful for and learn from. You could say, we experienced education.”
>> Click Here to View the Full Commencement Ceremony
The Class of 2025 will be remembered by their mentors, leaders, and community as a spirited, opinionated, self-aware, collaborative, hard-working, and motivated group of students. “One of the things I love about this group,” Upper School Director Matt Lai shared, “...is that you have a unique voice, and you know how to use it.”
While they were an excitable bunch prone to hijinks and other high school fun, they knew how to come together in times of hardship. When they were asked to describe themselves during their senior retreat at the beginning of the academic year, they shared many positive attributes and compared their class to "a field of flowers."
Student speaker Darcey E. '25 highlighted the impact of Upper School Science Faculty Cecile Meister, who was the chosen by the students to give the Commencement Address. “Cecile taught us to be curious, patient, and brave enough to keep asking questions, even when the answers don’t come easily,” said Darcey.
The beloved teacher emphasized the importance of educators and likened their roles to the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, as they are also the driving force behind students’ education. Percy also shared how, over the years, the faculty have always instilled in seniors that the future holds unlimited possibilities and that their Bush education has prepared them to for it.
“You are now on the precipice of graduation, soon to earn the title of Bush alumni,” said Percy. “You may wonder if the world still holds the same sense of possibility that it did for students who graduated in the 1980s and 1990s. Of course, it does, and your teachers have the same faith in you to build a perfect future.”
The powerful and lasting influence of Bush teachers was a recurring theme throughout the ceremony, culminating in the heartfelt closing remarks from student speaker Teoman C. ’25. Reflecting on the years of learning and growth at Bush, Teoman honored the faculty for shaping not just students' academic journeys, but their character and worldview.
"Time and time again, these teachers have reminded us to consider multiple perspectives - especially those shrouded from mainstream view," said Teoman. "They have taught us to ceaselessly interrogate our preconceived notions about the world. Those lessons have been the basis of our intellectual humility."
The Class of 2025, which included eighteen "Lifers" —students who attended all thirteen years at Bush —commemorated their transition to the next phase of their lives at various colleges and universities worldwide.
As they begin blazing their new trails, they hold the advice their peer speakers and mentors have shared close to their hearts.
As they begin blazing their new trails, they hold the advice their peer speakers and mentors have shared close to their hearts.
“There is so much more to this planet that we have not yet experienced, and in that unknown are amazing people, places, and things,” said senior class speaker Ruby R. '25. “There are lifelong friendships waiting to form, countless passions you didn’t even know you had, and limitless adventures you have yet to embark upon. Be curious. Be playful.”
The Bush School is an independent, coeducational day school located in Seattle, WA enrolling 735 students in grades K–12. The mission of The Bush School is to spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities
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