Nicolas L’Hotellier, Master of Ceremonies and Director of the Secondary School, kicked off Senior Graduation 2013 asking the audience of families, teachers and staff assembled at the 92nd Street Y auditorium to rise, first, to welcome the Senior Class teachers. Next, as American tradition dictates for high school graduations, the Class of 2013 entered to much applause and in cap and gown to Pomp & Circumstance. All eyes turned to watch the students take their seats with nervous anticipation.
Vagabonder, vous chercher, découvrir, suivre vos passions…
Christophe Musitelli
Throughout the three-hour ceremony, speeches in French and in English by student delegates, teachers, and school leadership included calls to service, salutes to friendship, and rememberence. Head of School, Sean Lynch, reminded us of the incredible gift an education from the LFNY can be. “We celebrate the unconditional love of your parents, and the next exquisite moment of your lives as you head off to college,” he said. Invoking Dr. Paul Farmer, who has devoted his life to improving medical care in poor countries, Mr. Lynch said, “As you leave us, stay true to yourself throughout your lives, and always give back and give in service to others.”
Christophe Musitelli, Deputy Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, echoed Mr. Lynch’s words with flourishes from his own experience. “You at are at a point in your lives where you don’t really know where you are going to go….take the time to explore, be true to yourself. Vagabonder, vous chercher, découvrir, suivre vos passions,” he said.
The ceremonial tossing of the hat from Lycée Français de New York on Vimeo.
Student delegates and their homeroom teachers each rose to spotlight the memorable moments of the previous year — from Mme Cuna, who was celebrated for her caring, to M. Soquet, who described the “symphonie exceptionelle” that was his homeroom class. Indeed, it seemed these weren’t so much classes of students, but families of them.
In a moving closing speech, parent Dr. Craig Sherman, despite the fact that neither he nor his wife speak French, talked about his decision to enroll all three of his children in the school beginning in 1994. “The Lycée Français de New York is one of the most dynamic and relevant institutions in New York,” he said. “Now as you prepare to disperse to the finest colleges and universities around the world, always remember and appreciate the truly unique and exceptional opportunity you have had at the Lycée Français de New York. Take a piece of it with you wherever you go, and whatever you do, plant it, nurture it, make it grow and flourish. The world will surely be better for it.”
Congratulations to the Senior Class of 2013. We will miss you and know our doors are always open to you!
About the Author :
Elisabeth King joined the Lycée team in November 2011 as the school’s first director of communications. A francophile at heart, Elisabeth spent her junior year of college in Paris, and held her first job at the French Trade Office here in New York. She brings to the Lycée over 15 years of experience in media and communications in non-profits, government, news and business. She was previously executive vice president and director of strategy at ABI, Inc., a boutique public relations agency, and she worked as associate editor on two books co-authored by Todd Brewster and the late ABC News anchor Peter Jennings.