DHSZ Class of 2022 Graduation Ceremony

Jun 14, 2022

The Graduation Ceremony

The Year 13 Graduation Ceremony is the de-facto highlight of the Dulwich International High School Suzhou Calendar. It is the end point goal that all our students strive towards. It is the destination of the journey that our teachers have guided our students through. The ceremony itself is the highlight and climax of the school year and an event that the whole school gets to enjoy.

Formal Awards Assembly

The day started with the traditional formal awards Ceremony in the school lecture theatre. This is where academic achievements are recognized and celebrated. Hundreds of award certificates are given out for academic achievement. Each Head of department selects just one special student in each subject to receive a subject award certificate. The assembly is a celebration of academic excellence.

Farewell Assembly

After this our departing Year 13’s collected and changed into their academic graduation gowns. For many of our students, this process is the moment they genuinely appreciate that their lives are about to permanently change. Putting on the graduation gown marks a fitting end of an incredibly significant era in their lives. Some students, overcome with nostalgia, break down in ostentatious displays of emotion. Few but the hardest of hearts can fail to be touched by these events on some level.

The ceremony began with a string quartet consisting of Genevieve W, Alina W, Molly Y and Yewon Cho playing a beautiful rendition of Air from Orchestral Suite No 3 by J.S Bach.

Introduction from Mr. Garnhum

Peter Garnhum than delivered an opening speech during which he reflected on the strange times we are living through:

"It is important that we recognize how lucky we are to be able to hold this ceremony at all, which was far from certain even a few weeks ago. And it is essential that we mark this milestone moment in the lives of our graduates. And that we come together. However, we can show them our pride and our support as they end one of the most challenging and unusual years of high school that any DHSZ class has ever experienced. "

Line up for the Graduation March

After Mr. Garnham’s introduction, the graduates marched formally into the gym:

As befits a ceremony of this magnitude, the event was live streamed to year group classrooms around the school using state of the art 4k video streaming cameras, which also recorded the ceremony for posterity.

Principals Award for Outstanding Achievement

The recipient of this years Principals Award for Outstanding Achievement was Frank W.

The Directors Award for Academic Achievement

This trophy is given each year to the year 13 student with the highest GPA based on UMS grades for the entire year. This year the recipient of the Directors Award was Grace W.

It is a Dulwich tradition that a member of our academic staff delivers a speech to our graduates. This year Ms. Kelsey Pichery took to the stage to deliver a thoughtful speech outlining the achievements of our year 13’s as well as the profound impact of being their teacher had had on her:

“You've made such immense progress. Academically, socially, personally, and you have shown the most tremendous amounts of resilience throughout your time here. Which is a testament to your fortitude. Leaving the rest of us all inspired and bettered, just by being in your presence. Thank you for being a part of this community. Thank you for allowing your teachers and your classmates to be a part of your journey throughout your time here.”

Ms. Pichery’s speech was followed by a video montage of well wishes and advice from Dulwich International High School Suzhou Alumni.

Address to the Graduates

After the Alumni video finished playing, Principal Sharon Zhuang addressed the graduates in a powerful and emotional speech, made even more poignant by the fact that Principal Zhuang will be retiring this year.

“We do not know how vast the world around us extends if we do not climb to the top of the mountain. We do not know how deep the river flows if we do not venture down to the valley. Your parents and teachers have paved the smooth road for you to understand the world and built an ideal platform for you to explore knowledge. Let us express our sincere thanks to our parents and teachers for their support and help during our high school years.”

Click here to view the full speech from Principal Zhuang.

The Young Musician of the Year

Following Sharon’s powerful speech, we experienced a real treat in the form of a stunning musical tour deforce from our “Young Musician of the Year “winner, Mia D. who delivered a virtuoso performance of The Fragrant Jasmin by Zhanhao He.

After Mia’s enchanting performance, it was time for another Dulwich Graduation ceremony tradition. Every year, the rising Head Girl and Head Boy deliver a speech to the graduates, followed by the speech from the departing Head Girl and Head boy.

As the graduates lined up, we were treated to the final performance of the ceremony, when Gloria and Lilly performed together on the grand piano:

For just under an hour, Mr. Garnhum called out the names of every graduating Year 13 student in alphabetical order. They then took their turn on stage to shake hands with our director and principal, as they received their graduation certificate.

At the end of the Ceremony, all our year 13 graduates took to the stage for the tradition of cap throwing. This year’s cohort of leavers did not disappoint us, with an amazing display of chaotic yet synchronized cap throwing!