On Sunday, Joseph Stocker ’24 asked the audience at the class of 2024 graduation ceremony to be silent as he danced on stage — mimicking the environment of the silent disco GDS held for the annual homecoming dance in 2021. The audience cheered and laughed after his performance, celebrating the class of 2024.
This year’s graduation was originally going to be held at Washington Hebrew Congregation due to renovations at the previous graduation location, George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium. Some graduating seniors objected to the idea of holding graduation at a synagogue, especially one that supports Israel in the Israel-Palestine war. In March, the administration found a way to increase the capacity of the lower/middle school gym, so the graduation was held there instead of at Washington Hebrew.
According to previous Bit reporting, with the unified campus, the administration had aimed to hold graduation on campus at some point. However, due to fire codes, the gym could not hold enough people for the ceremony, so administrators defaulted to holding the graduation at Lisner. A new door being built in the gym increased its capacity, making it suitable for graduation. The bleachers were put away, and the gym was filled with chairs and a temporary stage.
Shaw began the ceremony with a story about his son, who, along with some of his friends, completed a relay marathon. He said he hopes GDS has prepared students “to be a good teammate when it’s called for, to set your own pace and blaze trails when you’re inspired to do so and to move through the world always curious about how others are experiencing it.”
English teacher John Burghardt, who has worked at GDS for 49 years and is retiring this year, delivered the faculty commencement address. He spoke of “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” by Walt Whitman and “Death and the King’s Horseman” by Wole Soyinka. He received a standing ovation after his speech — as many people in the audience wiped their tears.
After Burghardt’s speech, Shaw said he was going to do something that was not in the program. He explained that GDS’ former assistant head of school Kevin Barr used to pass out to new faculty a list of 14 rules for teaching at GDS. “Rule number 11 reads as follows: except for John Burghardt, no one is universally knowledgeable,” Shaw said.
Shaw then awarded Burghardt with an honorary GDS diploma. “No retiring teacher receives a diploma from GDS except if they’ve taught masterfully and selflessly for 49 years in our school,” Shaw said.
As Shaw handed Burghardt the diploma, there was once again a standing ovation.
Student graduation speaker Ben Fitzpayne ’24 spoke about encountering a random couple while lost on a run. “They didn’t just pull up a map; they didn’t just offer me a drink of water; one of them, named Lauren, gave me a ride back to my car,” he said. He revealed that she was Lauren Silberman ’08 a GDS alumna who currently coaches GDS cross country.
“What Lauren showed me then was the completely unique piece of GDS every single person who touches this place comes away with,” Fitzpayne said. “In our community, a refreshingly idealistic and tremendously powerful trust exists.”
“We are now connected by what we’ve shared over the years, and we have this network, this community to return to,” the second student speaker, Stocker, said.
Parent speaker Sarah Wartell, mother of Clara Wartell ’24, spoke of the seniors’ ability to form a community despite — or because of — setbacks like the Covid pandemic. “This class is especially good at celebrating, not judging, one another’s talents or passions,” she said.
“You’re allowed to move your tassels to the other side,” Shaw said as the ceremony ended. “You’re allowed to throw your hats in the air as graduates.” As Shaw spoke, the graduating seniors tossed their caps up and cheered.