Crane Country Day School Eighth Grade Graduation

The Crane Country Day School (CCDS) 2018 eighth-grade graduation was held June 15 in the school center courtyard. Headmaster Joel Weiss welcomed the guests, honored the grandparents and parents. In this, the 90th year of the school, his speech poignantly and succinctly pointed out the key facets of an education at CCDS, among which include growth.

“While we think of growth in terms of academic achievement, it is also accomplished in times of need and facing situations that challenge us, which the students, parents, and faculty faced with the winter events that occurred in Montecito,” said Weiss. “We thank you for your continuing support of your children, each other, and of Crane Country Day School. For those that are leaving, we will miss you; you will remain a part of the school family. Congratulations to an extraordinary group of eighth-grade students! Go out there, do great things, and make us proud!”

He then presented five awards in addition to the 16 awards already presented at the Special Assembly prior, with the top Headmaster’s Award presented to student Charlotte James Weis. As a graduation surprise, former CCDS English teacher Cathy Rose was there to present the award named in her honor, The Rose Bowl. She quipped, “I’m from Pasadena and with my last name Rose, they had to name it the Rose Bowl Award!” She went on to eloquently recite excerpts from her top-shelf authors and novels, from Shakespeare to War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, and concluding with 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez – all books Rose said she hoped would be part of everyone’s reading. 

Following singing of the “Crane Song” by Norman Gimbel, the students received their diplomas and pins, while their teachers read a vignette about them. Following a standing ovation, a reception was held in the courtyard after the ceremony.

The Crane Country Day School graduates are: 

Cooper Adams, Evan Aitcheson, Audrey Biles, Will Bouma, Juliette Calderon, Quinton Cohen, William Dunaway, Nico Gaggero, Elise Guerrand-Hermès, Parker Gumins, Alexander Haddock, Ian Harvey, Myles Hazen, Jack Hirsch, Ella Jones, Jason Lemere, Zoe Lozano, Luke Marlow, Kai Morphy, Jada Olayemi, Camilla Petote, Mikey Reyes, Whitt “Boo” Ridge, Ben Rodgers, Sofia Schuster, Kate Sheldon, Foster Smith, Jaeda Spence, Boz Stephens, Diego Velazquez, Ami Wallmark, Charlotte Weis, Dorothy Yaqub, and Rhys Zemeckis.