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A Surprise for Seniors
As soon as it was evident that graduation and end-of-year festivities would have to take a different shape this year due to the pandemic, Falmouth Academy community members set a course to reimagine ways to celebrate the graduating class of 2020 and mark their achievement. Alumni Director Barbara Campbell created a 30 for 30 social media campaign celebrating one of the thirty seniors each day for thirty days leading up to June 6, the original date of graduation. Communications Director Amy Galvam designed a special two-page tribute to this year’s seniors in the spring GAM, Falmouth Academy’s biannual magazine. Class Advisor Don Swanbeck, with the help of a team of faculty and administrators, planned individual Zoom meetings with each senior and a small group of faculty members hand-picked by the senior to reminisce about the student’s school experience. These are just a few examples of the initiatives planned to honor the class of 2020, who had to miss out on so much this spring.
Last Monday, on Memorial Day, eight faculty members met at school at 12 PM to pick up special gift boxes that they hand-delivered to each member of the seniors class. Carol DiFalco carefully planned out routes that spanned from Osterville to Carver, North Dartmouth to Edgartown, and she along with Matt Green, Mike Earley, Don Swanbeck, Rob Wells, Jill Reves, Liz Klein, and Allyson Manchester set off for their secret deliveries. Parents were contacted ahead of time to assure that the students would be home to receive their gift, which included: a sunflower, traditionally carried at graduation; a specially-designed “FA Quarantined Senior Spring 2020” T-shirt; a stylus; FA M&M’s from the admission office; beeswax lip balm made in the beekeeping elective; a blue and white pinwheel; homemade decorated sugar cookies by Martha Borden; and, lastly, their cap and gown. The boxes were presented with a celebratory lawn sign that stated, “Proud Family of a Senior of the Falmouth Academy Class of 2020.” Many hands were involved in curating these lovely gift boxes and arranging the surprise. Special thanks for the behind-the-scenes work to Carmen DiSanto, Julie Bradley, Leslie Walters, Martha Borden, and Carol DiFalco.
On June 6 there will be a senior celebration with the hope that a graduation ceremony will follow on July 31.
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