On Friday, Feb. 21, KO seniors gathered in the Leadership Center to celebrate the 100-day countdown to graduation.
The Leadership Center was decorated for the special occasion: on the back stairs there was a giant golden “100” sign helping to mark the milestone, and at each table there were celebratory black and red decorations, along with KO-themed pouches with multi-port chargers for everyone.
The celebration was originally scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 13; however, it had to be postponed due to a snow delay. The event was originally intended to be a breakfast, but due to the rescheduled date, it turned into a celebration during Community Time with an extravagant candy bar for seniors to enjoy.
While the seniors enjoyed their candy with friends, Form Six Dean Ronald Garcia spoke about the KO tradition of having the senior class vote on their Commencement speaker. In addition to prompting the seniors to think about who they’d like to give the commencement speech at their graduation, Mr. Garcia also encouraged seniors to start thinking about Class Night, and a speech or performance they’d like to do.
Next, Head of School Tom Dillow reflected on the importance of the 100-day milestone. “It’s an opportunity for all of you to pause and reflect on where you are and what’s ahead of you,” Mr. Dillow said. “Your senior spring is something I think you’ll remember for the rest of your lives.” He continued by highlighting the significance of the final opportunities that the class gets to come together. “These next 92 days are the last days that you will ever be together as a class like this, and yet for the rest of your lives, you’ll always be the class of 2025,” Mr. Dillow said.
Associate Director of Alumni and Parent Relations Frances Morris ’90 then talked about the senior gift that the senior class typically leaves for the school when they graduate. Seniors and their families will have two options to vote on: additional charging stations around campus or more Adirondack chairs for students to enjoy outside.
Since graduation is right around the corner, Ms. Morris also unofficially welcomed the seniors to the KO alumni community, since they’ll become KO alums in just a few months after they walk across stage during graduation. Later this spring, the Alumni Office will help seniors create LinkedIn profiles so they can connect with the KO alumni network, be informed about KO alumni events, and set them up for success to connect with professionals in their chosen fields.
Ms. Morris reminded the seniors again that even with all the responsibilities during senior spring, they should make sure to take time to enjoy their final days as KO students. To finish off the celebration, the seniors gathered around the stairs in the Leadership Center with the “100” sign to take a photo as a class.
The 100-day celebration not only allowed the seniors to look forward to graduation, but also provided a space for them to reflect on their time at KO and what they want their final days in high school to look like.
