Class of 2030 Bids Farewell to Middle School
For the final time as a BB&N teacher, Tony Breen and his bagpipes led the Class of 2030 into the Nicholas Athletic Center (NAC) on June 3rd, for their final stop in their Middle School careers. Following the procession, Director Mary Dolbear welcomed the community, remarking on the magic of the campus and the dedication it takes to get to this stage.
She reflected to families, “You’ve heard me talk about our special Middle School campus…while not ideal for traffic, it’s ideal for our students! Together, we work hard to create our own safe and respectful community.” To start the proceedings, she finished with “Today is about what’s to come, and you are ready.”
Before more speakers and the main event, the Grade 8 Flex Band performed a combined version of “See You Again” and “Hall of Fame,” encapsulating some of the more celebratory feelings of the day with the perfect combination of instruments and vocals. Dr. Price was so moved by the performance that she commented that she needed a moment to compose herself before speaking.
After settling herself, Dr. Price talked about how this year’s middle school graduates embodied the spirit of inquiry on Sparks Street, from their annual Science Knight to uncovering the identity of an unknown chemical. Giving words of encouragement for their future school careers, Dr. Price urged students to “Please never stop asking questions and thinking critically.” Whether these students will continue their BB&N stories or are moving on to different pastures, she reiterated that “you will always be a knight.”
This year’s faculty speaker was none other than the retiree with 34 years of tenure at BB&N–Tony Breen. After a signature quip about how the audience had to listen to his bagpiping and now had to listen to his monologue, he talked about perceptions. Citing a humorous tale about Cardinal Sean O’Malley, he asked students to examine how they view themselves versus how outsiders may view them and their actions.
“Everyone here has seen or heard something that changed how someone perceived an incident,” Breen said, recalling some times on Sparks Street where he saw some things in classrooms that he couldn’t explain. Tying his thoughts back to the future, he impressed upon students that they’ll “be judged on how [they] pursue [their] goals.” Anyone sitting next to these students on stage could be someone different in ten years, no matter how you view them.
A true Irishman to the last moment at BB&N, Breen ended his speech with a quote from the famous song “The Parting Glass.” “But since it fell into my lot/That I should rise and you should not/I’ll gently rise and softly call/Good night and joy be to you all.”
Following tradition, the student speeches came after the faculty address. However, breaking from tradition, this year there were three student speakers, AJ Fançois ’30, Alana Jean-Ross ’30, and Michael Noonan ’30.
All three reminisced about their time on campus, with AJ noting that “The Middle School is more than assignments, quizzes, and tests; it gave us memories.” Alanna similarly said that “Middle School is more than a school, it’s an experience.” Whether they were new this year, like Michael, or had been on Sparks Street for longer, Michael reflected that BB&N is a close-knit community, always willing to help and support each other.
After the slew of speeches, students received their certificates, then recessed through the faculty line to a cacophony of cheers from the audience, officially done with Middle School.
