Nine West Hartford residents were among the 54 graduates.

Meghan Henderson (left) and Clark Riley of West Hartford were two of the Watkinson graduates who chose to speak at the graduation ceremony. Submitted photo

Submitted by Stacy Routhier, Watkinson School

On June 5 at 10 a.m., 54 students, celebrated Watkinson School’s commencement. Despite the white dresses and matching ties, the ceremony was anything but traditional.

Watkinson’s mission is to “develop in our students the power to shape their lives and the world around them,” so years ago the administration decided that instead of inviting an outside speaker, it would be more meaningful to have the graduates themselves offer advice and reflections to their peers. Twenty-two Hartford-area seniors, including Clark Riley and Meghan Henderson reflected on their experiences at Watkinson – what they learned, loved, and what they will keep with them as they head off to college and beyond.

Any graduating senior can opt to perform or speak at graduation, but they must go through a long, serious process of draft writing, reflection and practice, attending to deadlines along the way. Senior presentations in the past have ranged from heartfelt speeches to songs, to poems and quartets to dance performances.

Nine West Hartford residents graduated from Watkinson: Kelan Brady, Meghan Henderson, Jonah Karlin, Patrick Kinney, Eamon Powers, Clark Riley, Alanah Swindle, Scott Wheeler, and Matt Connors.