Graduating Dulwich College students wore China red scarves to compliment their robes
It’s graduation season for high schoolers around the planet and Beijing’s no different. Starting today we will feature a blog post each weekday on each of Beijing’s international high school graduations, which started late last month and continue through the end of June.
Dulwich College
Dulwich College held it’s second-ever graduation on May 25th. In their black robes and China red scarves, the 45-member class — representing 15 different countries — was the pride and joy of their parents and the school. After a dozen years of schooling, they had finally made it!
Following the ceremony the graduates then presented a Red Terracotta soldier signed by students to the school, showing their appreciation for their years of education. The ceremony was followed by a cocktail reception that took place beside the Dulwich campus lake where graduates, family, and school faculty celebrated together.
The following Thursday celebrations continued with a dinner and dance at UCCA in the 798 Art Zone. The graduates finished their celebrations by continuing the Dulwich Tradition of going to Tiananmen Square to watch the flag raising.
Pictures from the graduation festivities can be seen in our gallery here.
Jack Kim addresses the graduates
Jack Kim from Seoul, Korea was voted by his classmates to give the graduation class speech. Having been in Beijing for three and a half years, he plans on attending Cornell University in the fall. Here’s the speech that Jack delivered to his classmates
Special guests, teachers, parents, friends, and fellow graduates, it is an honor to speak to all of you today.
Every one of us has different first memories about Dulwich. Mine takes me back to Mr. Salt’s old office, where he and I had a ferocious discussion on 85 different ways to do your tie. Then in my first drama class, I was attacked by a rather unique personality brandishing a Chinese ponytail. He later became one of my best friends. Back then, did I know what I was in for during the years to come?
As I have experienced, our time in Dulwich has served us well. Remember the instance when we would wait with bated breath under the desks of the common room as Mr. Huntley lurked around trying to capture those skipping assembly? Now that was risk-taking. The time when we were planning and carrying out the senior prank which we believe that no other graduating class will surpass in another thirty years? That was hardcore collaborations. And of course the moments after exams when we would drag our tired bodies to the moonlit streets of SLT? Well… I would say that we knew how to bring balance into our lives. Dulwich values.Now those moments are coming to an end to pave way for new ones.
Looking back, we have been able to come this far, not only because of our own genius maneuvering but also because there were family, friends, and teachers who helped us make our Dulwich experience the best.
Today is indeed our day. But today should also be a day for us to thank the people nearest us for their endless support, our Parents. They, out of all the people, genuinely deserve a round of applause from us. Why don’t we take a moment to give one now?
A lot of us today may be wondering how our lives are going to turn out. We’ve always known this day would come and, whether our teachers, our parents or ourselves are prepared for it, here it is. We’re about to take that giant leap in just a few minutes and after that, it’s time to make our own choices. No longer will our biggest decisions entail which ovals to fill out for the SATs or what dishes to order at Piazza. Soon our choices will begin to revolve around the bills we will need to pay and the jobs we will be doing in 20 years’ time.
It is always good to wonder about the future. However, today, I would like to stress the importance for us to realize that our future is not something rigid that just happens to us. It is up to us to create.
The school has seen rapid changes from how we first remember it. The office where I had my sophisticated discussion with Mr. Salt is now an infirmary and Alex has lost his ponytail. Tomorrow never knows, and isn’t that just great?
So, fellow graduates, embrace the opportunities before us. Take what we have learned from Dulwich and put it to good use in the best things we will ever come to produce, our lives. Look back to the moments we shared and relive the feelings of today as we await the life ahead of us, because the greatest part of it is yet to come.
Before I close off, for the last time, let’s share this moment thank our parents, our teachers, and of course ourselves for making it through. The day is ours, we made it.
Congratulations.
