|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
After a school year held almost exclusively remotely, the around 500 members of Menlo-Atherton High School’s Class of 2021 received their diplomas during a graduation ceremony held on Coach Parks, the school’s football field, on Thursday, June 3, at 4 p.m. They wore maroon caps and gowns, and masks.
Per San Mateo County Health Department regulations, the school’s 70th commencement was kept shorter this year, with fewer speeches than in years past. The school hosted a car parade-style graduation in 2020 amid the pandemic.
-
SLIDESHOW: A graduates waves as she walks to her seat on Coach Parks Field at the start of the graduation ceremony at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: A graduate hugs a audience member as she walks onto Coach Parks Field at the start of the graduation ceremony at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: A graduate smiles after crossing the stage during commencement at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: A graduate dances after crossing the stage during commencement at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: A graduates looks at audience members as she walks onto Coach Parks Field at the start of the graduation ceremony at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: A graduate poses for a photo with Menlo-Atherton High School Principal Simone Rick-Kennel at graduation in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: A graduate gives a thumbs up to a camera live streaming the Menlo-Atherton High School commencement in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier.
Graduate Keilee Shepard read an excerpt from Margaret Walker’s poem “For My People.”
Senior class co-presidents Alex Waitz and Peter Koenig welcomed the audience of graduates and their limited number of family members — each student was allowed to have two guests, who were separated from graduates with a white picket fence. The ceremony was also livestreamed on YouTube. They encouraged students to continue to embrace the chaos and the unknown in their speech “Chaos and Entropy.”
The event was MC’d by seniors Fiona Fulton-Moskowitz and Katherine McDonnell, who peppered their comments with bear puns in reference to the school’s mascot.
Other senior speakers and their topics were: Nohelia Morales on “One Dream Accomplished;” and Alejandro Garcia Hurtado on “Live By Your Own Rules.”
-
SLIDESHOW: Graduate Alejandro Garcia Hurtado gives a speech at the Menlo-Atherton High School graduation in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: Graduate Katherine McDonnell delivers a joint speech at the Menlo-Atherton High School graduation in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: Graduate Nohelia Morales gives a speech at the Menlo-Atherton High School graduation in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: Graduates listen to speeches on Coach Parks Field during commencement at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: A cap displays a quote by Tupac Shakur that reads “If you can make it through the night, there’s a brighter day” at Menlo-Atherton High School’s graduation ceremony in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: Menlo-Atherton High School Principal Simone Rick-Kennel gives a speech at the Menlo-Atherton High School commencement ceremony in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: Graduates clap during the Menlo-Atherton High School commencement ceremony in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: A graduate sings “The Star-Spangled Banner” with the Menlo-Atherton High School choir at the start of the commencement in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: Attendees watch and photograph graduates commencement at Menlo-Atherton High School’s commencement ceremony in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier.
The student concert band and orchestra, under the direction of Kent Kurrus, played “America the Beautiful,” “Pomp and Circumstance” and “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.”
The Menlo-Atherton Choirs sang the national anthem. Later in the ceremony, the choirs sang “A Million Dreams.” The school set up photo booths for graduates to pose together after the ceremony.
This was Principal Simone Rick-Kennel’s last commencement before she moves on to a Sequoia Union High School District position in July. She called M-A her second home of 19 years.
She described the last 14 months as both “historical and momentous” in ways that have “defined and challenged” the community.
“As we have a lot to face and a lot to heal, embrace humanity as you pursue your future work,” she shared. “You may prevent the next disease. Educate children, work in healthcare, protect the earth, start a company, run for office. You might create art and fight for social justice.”
There were 515 graduation candidates this year, according to the school. View the full list of candidates here.
-
SLIDESHOW: Graduates hug after the Menlo-Atherton High School commencement ceremony in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: A graduate shakes a friends hand during Menlo-Atherton High School’s graduation ceremony in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: Graduates stand socially distanced on Coach Parks Field at the start of the graduation ceremony at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: Twins Liana and Dylan Burfoot take a photo together with the Menlo-Atherton High School bear statue after their graduation on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier. -
SLIDESHOW: Graduate Jessica Garcia poses for a photo with her mother, Tami Garcia, after graduation at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton on June 3, 2021. Photo by Magali Gauthier.
