MARION — Tabor Academy held its commencement ceremony on May 31, with multiple speakers urging members of the Class of 2019 to follow their passions. 

Head of School John Quirk noted that, in addition to it being Tabor’s commencement day, Friday was also National Smile Day, National Complete Words and Sentences Day, and National Autonomous Vehicles Day.

He thanked parents, saying that the day was “proof of [students’] accomplishments, but also proof of yours.” He thanked the faculty, who “sometimes see in you students more than you can see in yourselves.” And he thanked current students. He riffed on the notion that schools teach reading, writing and arithmetic by saying that Tabor challenges each student to go beyond that and be a “righter” of wrongs, and someone who adds, not subtracts from the community. 

He thanked the Class of 2019 for its leadership. He noted that Tabor recently held a forum on community challenges and that many seniors attended, despite their impending graduation. 

Student speaker Sophie Browning (of New York) spoke about how her experience at Tabor was marked by emotion, and how much of her accomplishment was doing things with classmates. She urged graduates not to consider what they wanted to do with their lives, but what they were most passionate about. She advised her fellow students not to rush through life, always waiting for the next step. 

Marion’s Owen Sughrue also addressed his classmates and their families. In his speech he spoke about human connections: how much he valued connecting with classmates of different nationalities, how much he appreciated those who showed him kindness when he has messed up.

He ended his speech with a wish for his classmates, saying, “I hope you find your own people. I hope you’ll be those people. You have been those people for me. Thank you.” 

The Commencement address was also delivered by a Marion resident: Kelli McSweeny, a retiring English teacher who taught at Tabor for 29 years. McSweeny poked fun at her small stature, and how the (mandatory) commencement robes fly in the face of all advice to make short people look better. She spoke of teachers as influencers who have the power to impact large numbers of students, looking to historical examples and teachers good and bad from her own life to prove her point. 

She said that she loved her job, most of the time, her community, most of the time, her colleagues, most of the time, and her students, most of the time. She urged students to go after their passion in life and they too would be happy (most of the time). She thanked her colleagues, dorm residents, athletes, and students, and finished her address by singing the Alma Mater with the seniors. 

After the presentation of awards and diplomas, the now Tabor alumni spilled out of the waterfront tent where commencement was held, embracing each other and family members in joy and disbelief.