Buckley Country Day School's graduating Class of 2009: Front row: Matthew Collins, Alia Padilla, Thomas Bruno, Hannah Phillips, Jack Vissicchio, Sarah Sackman, Kevin Naughton, and Khalidah Chin. Middle row: Christopher Powers, Alexandra Ushkevich Zezulin, John O'Brien, Darlina Liu, Edward Lee, Cameron Burger, Chistopher Pierce, Emily Heid, and Edward McNally. Back row: Erin Choe, Anthony Fazio, Emily Zhou, Darius Homayuni, Anabel Arifova, Natasha Singh, Rani Bendary, Ericka Sanchez, and Karra Puccia. On June 10, 2009, blessed with a welcomed reprieve from the heavy rains, the Buckley Country Day School (www.buckleycountryday.com) community gathered to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2009.

Natasha Singh introduced Rabinder S. Bhamra of the Glen Cove Sikh Temple, who gave the invocation and offered his blessings and prayers to the class of 2009. "Mr. Bhamra," Natasha said, "has always taught that no religion or culture is inferior or superior to another, just as we have all been taught here at Buckley."

Chair of the Board of Trustees William Arnone presented this year's Trustees' Bowl, the School's highest academic award, to Darlina Liu. The Scholarship Medal for the second highest academic average was awarded to Thomas Bruno, while Sasha Ushkevich Zezulin earned the Merit Card for the third highest average.

Four faculty awards were presented at Buckley's graduation.

On behalf of her graduating classmates, Sasha Ushkevich Zezulin presented the Teacher of the Year Award to seventh and eighth grade U.S. history teacher Mr. Mercer Hall. "Among all the influential teachers we could have chosen, Mr. Hall stood out," concluded Sasha in her remarks.

The Thomas J. Reid Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes outstanding teaching, demonstrated by concern for each student, quality of instruction, and commitment to Buckley. This year's recipient, selected by the Headmaster and the Assistant Heads based upon recommendations from the faculty, was science teacher Mrs. Mary Ellen Siegel.

The G. Robert Gage Award for Excellence in Teaching, named and given in memory of Trustee Bob Gage's late father, is given annually to a faculty member in recognition of his/her excellence in teaching. This award is made possible by an endowment gift from the Gage family. The 2009 recipient of this award was fourth grade teacher Mrs. Lynn Knox.

Finally, thanks to a generous endowment gift from Linda and John Powers, a new faculty award has been established. The Powers Family Teacher Recognition Award will be given annually to a faculty member in recognition of his/her embodiment of Buckley's character and spirit, care and nurturing qualities, and excellence in teaching. The honoree will be selected each year by the Headmaster and the Chair of the Board of Trustees in consultation with Mrs. Linda Powers. The first recipient of the Powers Family Recognition Award was fifth and sixth grade English teacher Mrs. Barbara Thomas.

All four teachers received well-deserved standing ovations from the audience.

Karra Puccia and Kevin Naughton, Buckley Student Council Co-Presidents, then presented the gift of the Class of 2009 to their alma mater. Citing the recurring theme describing their class, Karra and Kevin remarked, "We are a lighthearted, jovial group which knows that hard work needs to be balanced out with fun." With that in mind, this year's senior class gift is a beautiful play castle for the early childhood playground.

Mr. Brian Boyle, Buckley's most recent addition to the physical education department and coaching staff, was selected by the graduating class to be their faculty speaker. He was introduced by Jack Vissicchio. Jack, who pointed out that "Mr. Boyle was more of a really tall friend than a gym teacher," commented on Mr. Boyle's "uncanny ability to always cheer one of us up after a rough day," and concluded that he and his classmates would not be same without him.

Mr. Boyle spoke affectionately of the two traits that stand out in his mind as characteristic of the Class of 2009: sportsmanship and friendship. The unyielding passion of the boys and the girls he has come to know over the past four years has been their hallmark. Mr. Boyle urged the graduates to keep an open heart and mind, without which they would "experience life only to a certain extent," and to take chances as "the butterflies in their stomach may mean that something great is coming their way."

Kaitlin Powers '02, a Boston College rising senior and this year's alumna speaker, was introduced by her younger brother, Christopher. Kaitlin eloquently articulated her remarks around the inspirational words of one of Buckley's founders, Benjamin Lord Buckley: "Opening the eyes and awakening the mind, that is the essence of education." "Opening the eyes and awakening the mind," which Kailtin felt is what her Buckley teachers did for her, is "not only the essence of education, but also the essence of life," she concluded.

The two student speakers selected by their peers were Cameron Burger and John O'Brien who chose to speak together. Cameron and John won over the audience with a look back at the memories they share with their classmates and "the close bonds with friends that they will never lose." Both spoke with great affection for the teachers who had such a lasting influence in their lives, and with wit and humor about all the experiences leading up to this memorable graduation day.

Headmaster Dr. Jean-Marc Juhel then awarded diplomas to the members of the graduating class. Upon hearing their names, the students presented their hand-carved senior plaques to the newly-elected Student Council Co-Presidents, Sarah O'Sullivan and Dylan McKibbins, and walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. Simultaneously, eighth grade advisors read excerpts from comments written by the students' former teachers.

This year, the graduates chose to sing "Come Sail Away" by the Styx. Erin Choe introduced the song: "This is our song of hopes and dreams, and as Class of 2009 graduates, the memories we made will be forever carved in our hearts."

These graduates have now become the newest members of Buckley's Alumni Association, and under the leadership of their class agent, Hannah Phillips, they will remain connected to their alma mater and each other for years to come.

It is with pride, joy, and confidence in their abilities "to go out into the world and make a difference" that the entire community joined in cheering the graduates and wishing them well. CONGRATULATIONS and best wishes to the Buckley Class of 2009!