As the 125 gentlemen in the Class of 2025 step boldly across the stage for our commencement ceremony, we will collect our diplomas while also reflecting on our time here: the echoes of laughter, the strength of friendships, and the challenges and triumphs that shaped our journey.
The Class of 2025, the largest in Haverford upper-school history, walked into Wilson Hall wearing masks. It’s an easy detail to forget, but the COVID pandemic was not yet over, and in our first months in high school, our faces were half-hidden, voices muffled.
As the COVID pandemic waned, we, like the rest of the world, were unsure of what the next day would bring. In that first year of high school, connection took extra effort, and “normal” still felt far away.
But in this final year, the one we have spent preparing to leave Haverford, another shift took place. The masks were long gone, but for the first time in our school lives, our cell phones were locked away.
In hindsight, it feels almost poetic: we began high school trying to stay safe from the world, and we have ended it focused on how to be present in it: face to face, distraction-free.
Somewhere between those masked hallways and the Yondr pouches, we found a connection that does not rely on screens but instead depends on being present in the moment.
Over these four years, the world has experienced immense change. AI went from a novelty to a stark reality, transforming education and work-life alike. Social media culture increasingly impacted how people connect and communicate.
Global conflicts dominated the headlines; the only constant in the world seems to be its divisions.
Yet the Class of 2025 held on to what mattered. And in that way, we are anomalous.
The Class of 2025 needed to be adaptable, to adjust to the changes around us while still finding ways to thrive.
No matter what was happening, we embraced the change. And the changes were not minor. The Class of 2025 saw four different middle school settings in three years, moving from Crosman Hall to Virtue Village to virtual learning and into the new middle school. In upper school, we experienced the overhaul of our academic schedule from the quarter system to the semester system, the addition of ASB to our daily schedules, the school website redesign, the move from MyBackpack to Veracross, the shift from classroom phone caddies to Yondr pouches, and the advent of Haverford Assembly in our junior year.
Throughout it all, we forged connections and friendships. We cultivated a brotherhood, not a fiction that says we are all best friends, but a truth that says we show up for each other, respect each other, and carry a bond that goes deeper than daily conversations.
Our brotherhood is one where we stand together even while acknowledging we are different. We have each other’s backs, even while allowing for each person’s individuality.
Sixth Former Zac Fulscaldo believes our diversity made the class stronger.
“We have guys that will be professional in their sport, and others that will be professional in art. And then we have people that have the capacity to be both. I think the coolest part [of our class] is that no matter what you do, there will be people to support you,” Fuscaldo said.
Sixth Former Kevin Li also noted the class’s diversity. “I think what makes our class so special is that we embody the essence of Haverford,” he said. “A community with a wide range of ideas, talents, and abilities.”
Sixth Former Pat Cohen seconds the sense of community. “[Our legacy] is our brotherhood…each guy can talk to anyone. We all support each other,” he said.
Signet Society member and Honor Council representative Gabe Baker spoke about the way guys in the Class of 2025 showed up for each other. “Simply being there and giving something to others reinforced being present, [and contributed] to something important,” Baker said.
We are proud to be the first class to spend four years under the leadership of Head of School Mr. Tyler Casertano. He ushered in a new era at Haverford, one where our mental health is as important as our academic and physical health. With Mr. Casertano’s encouragement and permission to be vulnerable, the Class of 2025 grew stronger, together.
Signet Society member Semaj Lee described this aptly. “Vulnerability builds respect, and respect builds confidence,” Lee said. “It’s not something to be looked down upon, it’s something powerful.”
The Class of 2025 made history by winning the coveted EA Day sweater for four consecutive years. This achievement symbolizes more than just athletic excellence. It represents the unity and resilience that have defined our class.
As we graduate, we carry with us the lasting warmth of the sweater, not just the fabric, but the memories and pride woven into each and every victory. It is a warmth the Episcopal Academy Class of 2025 will never know, and we acknowledge that distinction with humility and joy.
Our success was not limited to the athletic arenas. The theatrical and musical performances across our four years were extraordinary.
From Something Rotten! to Les Misérables to Beauty and the Beast to How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, members of the Class of 2025 shared their talents over these last four years in ways that enriched the community. Performers like Finn Kelly, Aaron Bonaparte, Josh Williams, and Liam French filled Centennial Hall with laughter in this year’s musical How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying. And the newly formed Music Production Club let us see and celebrate the musical talents of seniors like Alex Rhodes, Tom Saul, and Avery Jones.
We have watched as our classmates have stepped up as leaders. Student body president Josh Williams spent the year encouraging us to take care of each other. In his farewell letter to the school, Williams reminded all, “Keep reaching out your hand to friends that need you. Keep reaching out your hand to pull more people close. Keep reaching out your hand to become more of your true self.”
Signet Society member Milan Varma, president of Food4Philly, editor of Newton’s Notebook, and Managing Editor for The Index, led by example, being present, social, and funny while also focusing on building relationships with classmates.
In Third Form, we saw a two-page feature in The Index of the phenomenal artwork of Alistair Wiedmer, foretelling, perhaps, that Wiedmer would design our senior class banner four years later.
Sixth Former Luca Aloi is especially proud of how the Class of 2025 came together this year. “[Our legacy]…is having a really successful year…a good brotherhood and a good student section for plays and music events.”
Sixth Former Gregor Weisenberger is equally proud of our class. “I think we are the most honorable class to go through Haverford. Unwavering integrity, unity, and commitment allowed us to pass through the school and leave a lasting impact. [We are] leaving the school better than we found it,” Weisenberger said.
Showing up to athletic, arts, and music events may seem inconsequential, but Signet Society member Colin Decker, who spent the year encouraging our class to be present, thinks it shows the core of our brotherhood.
“It’s much more than just watching the sport. It’s about building community and showing athletes support when they need it most,” Decker said.
Fuscaldo also speaks with pride about the class and the way we support each other. “[Guys] will drive an hour to watch you sing or go celebrate with you when you get into college. Our grade is full of people that care about each other, no matter what it is that you do or the talent that you have.”
“The Class of 2025 will be remembered for its perseverance and continued growth through the ups and downs.”
Conor McDonald ’25
Signet Society member Conor McDonald thinks the legacy of the Class of 2025 will be strong. “The Class of 2025 will be remembered for its perseverance and continued growth through the ups and downs.”
Our class is defined by our ability to adapt. Our growth was made possible in no small part because of the steady support and unwavering guidance of our Form Deans, Mr. Steve Cloran, Mr. Jeremy Hart, and Mr. Will Leech. Mr. Cloran ushered us into Wilson Hall, standing by us as we worked to incorporate ourselves into a socially distanced environment. Mr. Hart helped us begin to find our footing as a class. With patience and purpose, he guided us to think about ourselves as a group, a brotherhood. Under his leadership, we started to build the foundation we needed as we moved into our upper-class years.
In the last two years, the formidable Mr. Leech’s candor, humor, and relentless encouragement helped keep us on task. And where would we be now without his near-daily reminder not to park in the Red Lot?
The Class of 2025 lives in a unique moment in history. A part of the largest graduating class in Haverford school history, a part of the largest group of high school seniors in United States history, a part of what is considered the most competitive college application process in the history of our country.
The number 25 carries a strange weight—not yet ancient but not so young to be naive. The Class of 2025 moves on to the next phase of our lives at this unique quarter-century mark. We have watched the world change before our eyes. We have thrived amid chaos: pandemics, climate change, and cultural reckonings.
We have learned to listen closely, adapt quickly, and proceed optimistically. We’re open-minded, we’re versatile, and we’re flexible. We’re dedicated to our teachers, our brothers, and to what is best for our alma mater. We want to facilitate the betterment of our community.
As we leave Haverford, we carry with us more than memories; we carry the perspective that our strength comes from support, care, and purpose. We move into the future not just as observers of change but with the ability to contribute. Because of the support of a community that challenged and championed us, we are ready.
We are not just prepared for what is next. We are built for it.
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