Every first Thursday of June, the entire senior class stands together in white dresses outside of Hamilton House. Out of all of the cult-like traditions of Stone Ridge (chanting a French song in unison every time we gather as a school, being presented in white dresses, etc.), graduation is the most significant of them all. It’s the celebration and commemoration of our time at Stone Ridge. Even though every high school in America probably has a semi-adjacent ceremony to celebrate its seniors, Stone Ridge’s tribute to its senior class feels special.
There is something particularly significant about the location of Stone Ridge graduation. The Hamilton House lawn holds a series of special Stone Ridge events. Upper school students begin their high school journeys here, as scared and intimidated first academics attending their first upper school liturgy the weekend before their first day of school. The next time we gather together as a class in this location is in the spring of junior year for our ring day celebration. This special event marks the beginning of the end. In a few short weeks, the Class of 2025 will experience their last liturgy at Stone Ridge, the senior class mother-daughter liturgy. Finally, we will graduate on this lawn.
Graduation at Stone Ridge is a beautiful and ceremonious ending, unique for each person. For some, it will be the end of their fourteen years as a student here, while others will be saying goodbye to their middle school, and other newer members, their high school. Whether you’ve been here since JK or junior year, Stone Ridge is a hard place to say goodbye to for everyone.
Senior spring is a special time at Stone Ridge. It includes so many infamous traditions, like senior prank day, two-week internships, riding into field day on a fire truck, prize day symposiums, mother-daughter liturgy, and more. Graduation is the most symbolically significant of all. A day full of emotions and goodbyes, graduation is bittersweet. Stone Ridge is so much more than a good education. It’s also the permanent integration of faith, love, and friendship into the lives of all that are lucky enough to experience it. We have been equipped to take all of the lessons and values learned in our time here, and share them with the people and places in our next chapters. The sappy quote from Winnie the Pooh, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard”, has been over-referenced and cliched for a reason. It resonates for every senior, especially those who have to say goodbye to a place as unique and extraordinary as Stone Ridge.
