Commencement is one of if not the most memorable days of any school year, and behind the actual graduation ceremony where the seniors shake every faculty member’s hand, the most memorable part is certainly the speech made by a faculty member. This speech always resonated with me personally and is a fond memory every year. However, this speech hasn’t always been given by someone in the KO community.
Before it was a teacher, the speaker was brought in, usually someone semi-famous who would give the graduating class some final advice before they left high school forever. History teacher Ted Levine spoke on the idea of an outside Commencement speaker quite bluntly. “The president of UConn came once,” Mr. Levine said. “Local leaders would come in, and that was interesting, but woefully unnecessary.” The outside speaker would usually talk about the future and their life story, but was never able to connect to the seniors on a deeper level. The speaker is supposed to guide the seniors toward life out of high school, and give them lasting advice, and someone who knows the students, has seen them grow, and can relate to them on very local issues can be more relatable and effective.
This is why in 1993, Chairman of the Science Department, Richard Caley, who graduated from Kingswood Oxford in 1962, was chosen to be the school’s first faculty Commencement speaker. The idea was initially proposed by then Head of School Lee Levison, who voiced the same concerns as Mr. Levine. Mr. Caley was picked via a senior poll and made history at that year’s Commencement ceremony. “Whether the speaker comes from the outside or the inside, it is their job to relate the outer world to this little space of turf we call Kingswood Oxford,” Mr. Caley commented. “I will try my best to succeed in such a cause.” The impact of Mr. Caley’s speech can still be felt to this day, as the tradition of a faculty speaker has persisted.
This change received positive feedback in the KO community. “It’s so nice, they know the kids and they can have some touch points that make it personal and talk about our life here, instead of some kind of abstraction about life,” Mr. Levine reflected. “It reminds me of those inspirational posters, ‘Work hard’ or ‘Be able to fail’.” An outside speaker just doesn’t carry the same amount of weight that a faculty member does, because they don’t understand the depth of the KO community and what life is actually like on campus.
Mr. Levine also spoke about some of the more memorable faculty speeches. For example, former English teacher Heather Wayne spoke about her education, where she was, and how her education got her there. “When she got on stage, she just really floored the audience,” Mr. Levine reflected.
History teacher Rob Kyff gave his graduation speech inside due to the weather and took the opportunity to crack a joke, thanking his biggest fans, after which he gestured to the large ceiling fans above him.
Mr. Levine also recalled former English department chair Kathy Lynch’s speech, where she played with relevant metaphors: “Keep your iPod on shuffle, in life don’t be too predictable,” Ms. Lynch advised. These speeches mean so much more because they come from people you know, people you’ve been taught by, and who you have looked up to throughout your high school career.
Someone outside of KO might give a great speech, but there is no emotional connection between the student and the speaker. Junior Lia Prahl talked about how important it is that the speaker is from KO. “I think it’s a great way to kind of rally the community,” Lia said. “The last thing the seniors do together is listen to one of their favorite teachers talk to them and reassure them that their future will be okay.” The Commencement speaker is sometimes a retiring faculty member, so for both the speaker and the seniors during those years, Commencement marks a shift in their lives, the move from one chapter to the next, and so this final speech is their way of saying goodbye and good luck.
This year, history teacher Peter Jones was voted to be the speaker, and there is no doubt his speech will be amazing. He has taught at KO for 38th years, and has been a staple of the school throughout this time here. His class is based around conversation between him and the students, which creates a feeling of connectedness.
That feeling, combined with his punny and sarcastic sense of humor, makes his class truly great. Junior Dorian Ciscel expressed excitement towards Mr. Jones’ speech. “As a history teacher, I know that he’s very good at making speeches,” he said. “His class is mostly lecturing, and you would think that that’s super boring, but it was actually one of the most entertaining classes that I’ve ever taken at KO. So, yeah, I’m very excited.” It’s no wonder the senior class voted him to be the speaker. He was the obvious choice. His ability to connect with students is exactly why I have no doubt his speech will stir emotion and thought from everyone in the audience.
Kingswood Oxford’s tradition of the faculty speaker is one of its best; it is a sendoff both to the seniors who have learned from this person, who have seen them every day, and who will miss them as they move on to college and beyond. The transition from an outside speaker to a faculty speaker allows for the faculty speakers to connect with the graduating class on a deeper level, leaving behind advice that will stick with the students for years to come.
