What a specular conclusion to the 2021-2022 school year at Trinity College School! With family and friends in attendance the Senior School honoured the Leaving Class of 2022 during the first in-person Speech Day event in three years, on Friday, June 17th. Headmaster Stuart Grainger was thrilled to welcome all to campus to celebrate our graduates as well as prize recipients.
For our Grade 12 graduates, the day began in The Lodge Garden, where they enjoyed breakfast and prepared for the day, including receiving their boutonnieres from faculty members. Faculty and students then processed to The Memorial Chapel for the Leaving Class Service. Following a touching service, grads and their families were treated to lunch in the Cirne Commons and lower gym, while watching a slideshow featuring images of each grad’s time at TCS. The video was created by our philanthropy & alumni office.
The afternoon, under sunny skies, saw everyone gather under the tent on the terraces in front of Osler Hall for the official Speech Day ceremony. Graduates and faculty, as well as TCS Governing Body Chair David Thomas ’82, were led into the ceremony with the playing of bagpipes.
Headmaster Grainger, while recognizing how challenging the pandemic has been for young people, also encouraged the graduating class to give thanks to their parents, grandparents and school benefactors who gave them the opportunity to attend a school such as TCS. He also asked the graduates to pledge to go out into the world with the aim to help others, care more, give back and work to make the world a better place. The 2021-2022 head prefects, Bolu Abiola and Gordon Bennett, also had the opportunity to address their peers, wishing them all the best in their future endeavours.
In addition to the awarding of several special prizes and subject awards for Grade 12 courses, several staff members were recognized during the ceremony. Retiring teacher Jen Powles was honoured for her service of more than 30 years to TCS, while departing teacher Thomas Tansley, who joined the School in 2006, was bid farewell as he and his family move out west. Four staff members were recognized for reaching the milestone of 25 years of service to the School: Tarra Foster (IT services), Kathryn LaBranche (admissions), Laurie Lees (culinary services) and Teresa Tapscott (culinary services).
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of diplomas to members of the Leaving Class of 2022, who were called up to the stage by their house leaders. In addition to being congratulated by the headmaster and governing body chair, each grad received a pin from TCS Parents’ Guild President Lisa Bailey, and an alumni tie from TCS Alumni Association President James Gibson ’00. Grads were also greeted by their housemasters upon leaving the tent, for emotional hugs and best wishes.
With the conclusion of the formal ceremony, graduates gathered on the terrace in front of the Memorial Cross for the traditional grad photo, culminating in them tossing of their school blazers in the air. As families gathered in The Lodge Garden for a final reception, photos and farewells, there were many smiles, and a few tears, as our graduates reflected on the official end of their time as TCS students and their transition to the lifelong role of TCS alumni.
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