Commencement 2024

On June 7, 2024, we celebrated our eleventh annual eighth grade commencement for the class of 2024. This ceremony signified the completion of a class’ eight year journey. Additionally, we recognized the completion of sixteen years of service given by their teacher, Ms. King, to the Waldorf School of Pittsburgh during which she completed two full first through eighth grade cycles. What a gift!

During the ceremony, memories from the students’ years together were shared through poems, stories and skits. Observations from their teachers included, “They are an extremely driven class and can organize around anything they care about—a group project, the bake sale, plant sale, and more. They are also generally helpful and love to laugh together.”

Among the prominent moments of the evening was when Ms. Kathleen Andrews, their commencement speaker, referenced the famous cellist Pablo Casals’ words, urging them to believe they have the capacity to do anything in life reminding them “You are a marvel.” His entire quote is below:

“Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michaelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.” (Pablo Casals)

As a parting gift, parents expressed gratitude to Ms. King for being a guiding light to this class. They also gifted a solar mosaic glass ball in honor of each student in the class of 2024. The globes have been placed on campus to symbolize their light and glow at night. While these students will be in high school when we return to campus in the fall, we will have their light around us.

Congratulations to the Class of 2024!

Kirsten Christopherson-Clark

Head of School