On Saturday, June 3, 2017, the University High School community gathered at The Palladium in Carmel to celebrate a special group of people — the Class of 2017.
The commencement ceremony began with a few words from Head of School Chuck Webster.
Next, English teacher Derek Thomas, who was selected by the senior class to speak at graduation, delivered his keynote address.
Then it was time for seniors to receive their diplomas. At most schools, students receive their diplomas in alphabetical order by their last name. At University High School, students are arranged alphabetically by mentor. That’s because it is the mentor that hands each student their diploma, paying tribute to the special mentoring relationship that students develop at UHS.
After the final student received her diploma, three members of the Class of 2017 spoke. University High School doesn’t award honors like valedictorian or salutatorian; instead, the speakers at graduation are voted on by the class. This year’s senior speakers were Jonathan Wiersema, Audrey Geipel, and Bronwynn Woodsworth.
To view photos from the 2017 commencement ceremony, visit J. Scott Photography’s online gallery.
You can also relive some of the moments from this year’s commencement ceremony by watching this video from the day:
Congratulations to all of the students in the University High School Class of 2017!