Senior Prefect Zac reading the Wooster School Prayer.
The Convocation and Crayons to Commencement ceremony honors the start of a new school year and students who have attended Wooster since the lower school. The ceremony was held on Thursday, Sept. 10, and began with Senior Prefects Zac and Damercy reading the Wooster School Prayer and Honor Code, which students and faculty signed throughout the day.
Head of School Mr. Byrnes and Head of the Upper and Middle Schools Mr. Lingenheld introduced Sean and Charlotte as recipients of the crayons and pins. The ceremony then concluded with a performance by the student band.
Crayons to Commencement is more than the start of the recipients’ senior year, but a representation of the students’ journey from Lower School and the completion of their Wooster career. The crayons are symbolic because they represent the beginning of a child’s journey in school, when they were given crayons to draw with.
Charlotte and Sean both joined Wooster in the first grade, making their journey over a decade long. During this time, they have grown socially, personally and academically, while learning to immerse themselves in the community.
As Sean progressed through Wooster, he particularly noted his growth in his academic stamina. His ability to manage a constantly increasing workload has taught him valuable time management skills and has allowed him to work at a pace where he feels comfortable, preparing him for his transition to a college-level curriculum.
Looking back on his earlier years, he recalls some of his most memorable experiences being at Wooster. One was his third-grade class pool party, an event he spent the entire school year looking forward to.
“It didn’t matter that the water was freezing cold, because we were all just having a good time,” said Sean.
Sean recognized Mr. Lingenheld as a teacher who has had a significantly positive impact on him and his Wooster career, as he was always supportive of his interests and was always willing to lend a helping hand.
“We share an interest in science and he always made me feel comfortable in his classroom,” said Sean. “If I had an issue, I knew that he would listen and come up with a good solution to my problem.”
To Charlotte, Wooster is more than a school; it is a second home where she can truly be herself and work towards all her goals, supported by the people she cares about most.
Charlotte has spent almost every day for the past 12 years at Wooster and expressed, “I've spent all my time there because it really is the most important place in my life.”
Not only has Charlotte developed a new home and family, but she has also grown personally and academically. She feels she has grown the most in her communication skills, particularly with adults.
This confidence sparked at a very young age, as she was heavily influenced by her fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Zahner.
“He was a really formative teacher,” said Charlotte. “I think about the impact he had on me all the time.”
Charlotte, Mr. Byrnes and Sean after the ceremony.
Mr. Byrnes has been by Charlotte and Sean’s side through it all. He has been able to watch them grow up since first grade and flourish into young adults. He noted how it's similar to having kids of your own, getting to be by their side every step of the way.
“It’s one of the best things about the job that I have,” said Mr. Byrnes. “Those are extreme examples of where you see the whole arc of who they were and who they’ve become.”
While Convocation and Crayons to Commencement highlight the beginning of a new school year and allow Charlotte and Sean to reflect on their journeys, it is also a reminder of the community built at Wooster and the growth that happens within it. Crayons to Commencement recognizes just how much can happen between a student’s first day and final years.
For Charlotte and Sean, receiving these crayons represents over twelve years of memories, teachers, friends, and classes.
Parents of seniors seated behind the class of 2027 during Convocation.
Crosby '27
Advanced Journalism
Scarlett '27
Advanced Journalism
