Graduation may look different for the Class of 2020, but St. Andrew’s Episcopal School continues to make lemonade out of lemons and celebrate its graduating seniors. Since mid-March, St. Andrew’s students, teachers, and administrators were able to connect through virtual learning, finishing the academic year in stride and living into the school’s motto: We will find a way or we will make one.
It goes without saying, but the Class of 2020’s spring semester will be one to remember. Student body president Toni Oluwatade reflects on the unique circumstances brought on by COVID-19 and the transition to virtual learning.
“I think one thing that makes St. Andrew’s unique is the teachers,” she said. “They’re willing to form relationships with their students and they show such passion and drive for what they are teaching and for each of their students. They’re willing to get to know each student and do what’s best for everyone in the class. That’s definitely been an important factor in my St. Andrew’s experience. I think the transition to distance learning was a smooth one because of the adaptability of the teachers and the students. My teachers didn’t just lecture, they planned different activities.”
In the midst of ongoing changes in Mississippi - fluctuating case numbers, public guidelines for gatherings - St. Andrew’s administrators still plan to honor the Class of 2020 with a graduation ceremony on Saturday, August 1. Social distancing practices will be in place, but regardless, the seniors will have the opportunity to walk across the graduation stage and receive their well-earned diplomas.
While the global pandemic is a vivid marker of the Class of 2020’s high school experience, it is not keeping them from remembering the moments over the years that make up their memories as St. Andrew’s students.
“I remember my first year, which was first grade,” said Oluwatade. “My teacher, Mrs. Sudduth, was so welcoming and loving, and I will always remember her.”
She continued by adding, “One of my favorite memories from my time at St. Andrew’s was getting to go to Ghana during the summer of 2018 and then getting to host a Ghanaian student that October as part of our exchange program.”
In addition to serving as student body president, Oluwatade played on the varsity girls soccer team from grades 7-12, served as the 10th grade class president, and held positions on the Honor Council in grades 11 and 12.
The St. Andrew’s education has opened doors for students to pursue their dreams at some of the greatest institutions across our country. This fall, Oluwatade will be attending Yale University, where she plans to major in Cognitive Science on a pre-med track, with the ultimate goal of becoming a pediatrician.
“St. Andrew’s has definitely prepared me for the academic rigor that college will bring,” she said.
On May 1, Director of College Counseling Colin Dunnigan shared his annual celebratory message (this year via video) recognizing the senior class, their countless accomplishments, and of course, where they plan to attend college this fall. Some of his key points are as follows:
In the Class of 2020, 91 students will attend 48 colleges in 25 states - 66% of whom are going to schools out of state. Five seniors were named STAR Students by the Mississippi Economic Council. The average GPA was a 3.6 out of 4. Five athletes will play at the next level, including swimming, track and field, football, lacrosse, and basketball. The average ACT score was a 29, and 46 seniors (over half the class) scored a 30 or above.
Below is the full list of schools and the number of students attending.
University of Mississippi: 17; Mississippi State University: 11; Rhodes College: four; The University of Alabama, three; University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), three; University of Southern California, three; Louisiana State University, three; Samford University, two; New York University, two; Elon University, two; University of Richmond, two; Rice University, two; Tulane University of Louisiana, two; Augustana College, one; Birmingham Southern College, one; Lipscomb University, one; Hinds Community College, one; Mississippi College, one; University of Southern Mississippi, one; University of Notre Dame, one; University of Alabama in Huntsville, one; United States Military Academy, one; Boston College, one; Harvard College, one; Middlebury College, one; Yale University, one; Brigham Young University-Provo, one; Chapman University, one; Loyola Marymount University, one; University of Montana, one; Stanford University, one; University of California, San Diego, one; University of Oregon, one; University of San Diego, one; Emory University, one; Georgetown University, one; Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus, one; Morehouse College, one; Rollins College, one; University of Miami, one; The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one; Baylor University, one; Cornell College, one; Grinnell College, one; Washington University in St. Louis, one; Xavier University of Louisiana, one; and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, one.
