Patch Tour: Brookfield Academy Graduation

With a commencement speaker urging them to take risks and pursue their true passions, 63 Brookfield Academy graduates celebrated their accomplishments Sunday.

The Class of 2011 included 27 high honor diploma recipients and 14 honor diplomas. 

The Quinthorne Brass Quintet performed the prelude and recessional song, and the Upper School Chorus sang "Lean on Me" during the graduation ceremony in the Patriots Hall gymnasium, led by vocalist Jane Riecan and guitar-vocalist Alex Vipond.

Valedictorian Jonathan Marks told his fellow classmates he joined them in feeling unease about leaving the comfortable "safety net" of high school and parental guidance. He said he had never felt so indecisive as when he was trying to decide where to pursue post-graduate studies. He chose Harvard College.

"Go out and make a difference," Marks said. "I know that we're ready."

Commencement speaker Dr. Scott Beaulier, executive director of the Troy University Manual H. Johnson Center for Political Economy, said students should follow their dreams, wherever it leads.

"I can't emphasize enough the need for you to take risks," Beaulier said. "Take risks that may not pay off but actually have the potential for big payoffs. Be playful with ideas.... Some of those ideas will be oh, so sweet."

He also told the students to maintain high integrity, thank those who help them get where they are, and "have purpose in your life."

Not any purpose, said Beaulier, adding that one could argue Osama bin Laden had purpose.

"Purpose attached to gratitude and responsibility," he said.

Following the ceremony, the graduates threw their caps in the air outside and enjoyed refreshments inside with their families.

Brookfield Academy is a preK-12 private independent college preparatory school with about 300 students.

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The Blue Knight's graduation ceremony was the second stop on a weeklong in which and staff are meeting residents, spreading awareness of Brookfield Patch and giving out goodies. Next stop: the girls softball rivalry game,  at , at 4:30 p.m. Monday.