Cuffee graduates celebrate with family, friends, teachers and mentors as they
reach the first milestone of their academic careers.
Amid a sea of blue and white caps and gowns, balloons and flowers, Paul Cuffee School’s second commencement class graduated from the Upper School at the Columbus Theatre in Providence on Tuesday night. Thirteen graduates sported tassels distinguishing them as graduates with honors.
The Upper School Chorus, under the direction of Sybille Pierre, and featuring senior soloists Kelly Hernandez, Orlando Montalvo, and Betsy St. Vil, offered a rendition of “Seasons of Love” in which they attempted to puzzle out whether “five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes” is an adequate way to measure a year. Or rather, is it the experiences that the year represents?
Keynote speaker, Dr. Bryan Dewsbury, Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Rhode Island, continued that theme as he challenged the graduates to “purposely seek out differences, not sameness”, reflecting on his academic journey during which he sought out internships, projects, and programs that diversified his skill sets and brought many different races and groups of people into his circle.
With more than 30 colleges and universities, some local, some far-flung, accepting the 2015 Cuffee graduates, the Class of 2015 will have exciting opportunities to do just that.