Marymount of Santa Barbara held its graduation ceremony last Friday, with Board of Trustees President Hilary Doubleday and Head of School Andrew Wooden presenting diplomas to 29 graduates in the Class of 2012.
Brian Kelly, father of graduate Patrick Kelly, was the guest speaker. Having chaperoned class trips to Costa Rica and Monterey, Kelly spoke to the graduates as a true mentor and friend. He advised them to keep the values learned and friends made at Marymount close as they face the challenges of high school and beyond. The crowd delighted in Kelly’s mantra, “When in doubt, Marymount!”
McKenna Madden was chosen as the student speaker. She began her speech with a quote from Thomas Jefferson: “I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”
Moments later this seemed to ring true for McKenna as she was awarded the school’s academic achievement award along with Luca Jordano.
Other top awards included athletic awards to Alvoid Bennett and Amara Parris; arts awards to Ryley Oroku, Lauren Seigel and Megan Wilson; service award to Scott Voulgaris; development award to Miguel Weedn; citizenship award to Alix Ha; and leadership awards to Catherine Hogan and Tyler Greenwald.
Sophia Pearson received Marymount’s highest award, affectionately called the Marymount “M.” This award, which honors beloved former Head of School Dr. Dolores Pollock, is given to the graduate who fully embodies the character of Marymount.
Marymount’s Class of 2012 will continue their studies at diverse secondary schools in the fall, including The Archer School for Girls, Anacapa School, Bishop Garcia Diego High School, Cate School, Dos Pueblos High School, Midland School, Northfield Mount Hermon, Providence Hall, San Marcos High School and Santa Barbara High School.
Marymount is an independent coeducational school, junior kindergarten through eighth grade, on a picturesque 10-acre campus nestled on the Santa Barbara Riviera. For nearly 75 years, Marymount has prepared young people for the academic challenges of high school and college, while laying the foundation for life-long character, achievement and love of learning.
Marymount’s Class of 2012
Julia McElroy Aljian
Alvoid Rickey Bennett II
Nicholas Peter Busch
Haley Hall Carrere
Alec Burdett Frost
Alyssa Rose Gragg
Tyler Michael Greenwald
Alix Ha
Spencer George Hann
Catherine Kelly Hogan
Luca Matteo Jordano
Brian Patrick Kelly
Emily McKenna Arbogast Larman
McKenna Christina Madden
Graham Stephen Mills
Christopher Lee Oleson
Ryley Ryoichi Oroku
Amara Alise Parris
Sophia Anne Pearson
Charles Cord Pereira
Lauren Carolina Grace Salsbury
Madeleine Paige Schmidt
Alec Sherwin
Lauren Elizabeth Seigel
Maya Irene Tharakan
Ava Nicola Troiani
Scott Thomas Voulgaris
Miguel Angel Weedn
Megan Elizabeth Wilson
— Molly Seguel is director of admissions for Marymount of Santa Barbara.