Reflecting on Graduation

On May 17th, 65 seniors graduated from EF Academy. The commencement ceremony, which took place in Robinson Center, featured speeches by Mr. Garay, Dr. Minarelli, Dean Kaela, Dean Sean, and Deputy Head of School Annie Hall, as well as 12th graders Taiga and Ari.

During and after the event, emotions ran high as family and friends came together to celebrate EF’s class of 2025.

George, now an EF graduate, described his graduation experience as a whirlwind of emotions. “Graduating from EF was an emotional moment for me,” he said. “I had mixed feelings—50/50, I’d say. On one hand, it was incredibly sad. I cried a lot, especially during the week leading up to graduation.” Saying goodbye to close friends, beloved teachers, and house parents was harder than he expected. “We went through so much together, and parting ways wasn’t easy.”

But those tears were mixed with a strong sense of pride and excitement for the future. “Graduation marks the beginning of a new chapter: college, independence, and chasing my dreams.” George is now preparing to study International Business at Florida International University in Miami—a city he’s dreamed of living in since childhood. “I never thought it would happen this soon, but I’m beyond excited.”

His advice to future seniors? “Cherish every moment, spend as much time with the people you care about as you can, and don’t be afraid of change.”

EF graduate Jan echoed similar sentiments, describing his post-graduation feelings as “a mix of relief, pride, and a little sadness.” He reflected on how quickly time passed. “It’s crazy how fast it all went.”

Jan’s last day at EF was filled with emotion. “Lots of hugs, photos, and memories flooding in. You don’t realize how close you’ve gotten to people until you’re saying goodbye.” Now, he’s headed to NYU to study business. “I’m super excited to be in New York and start this next chapter.”

When asked for advice for the next senior class, Jan emphasized preparation and openness. “Start your college stuff early—it makes everything way less stressful,” he said. “Enjoy the little moments; you’ll miss them more than you think. And don’t be afraid to try new things—you grow the most when you’re uncomfortable.”

EF graduate Kia echoed these complex emotions associated with graduation. “After graduation I feel happy, sad, anxious and nostalgic. The last day of graduation was a dream for me, something that I did not expect to come so soon. It was almost like a dream. Students with their families and teachers that were supporting our last final day of school. Our final day of being together. We are no longer teenagers, we became adults that day. With everyone joyful and happy, there was also the emotion of sadness, of leaving those memories behind.”

“However it is time for us to start the next chapter in life,” Kia continued, “and for me that is attending university. Going to UC Riverside is my next step and hopefully from there I will study the LSATs for law school. My Business/Econ major will give me the right foundation for pre-law initiatives.”

“Some tips for next year’s seniors,” he said “are to enjoy your time, make good memories and lastly make the best of it. You only graduate once from high school. Make sure you don’t regret it. Follow your dreams and aspirations. Commit to your goals.

“For me, Kia said, “high school was tough at first but after adapting to my new environment, EF became a second home for me, a second family.

The International Changemaker also talked to graduates Lavinia and Ari, who have been here since the very first year the school opened, to hear about their thoughts and emotions.

Lavinia described graduating from EF as a deeply emotional moment. “I felt a little unstable because it was really weird to realize that my high school years were over and that my adult life was about to start,” she said. On her last day, she looked back on memories with friends and recalled it as “a bittersweet but very memorable day.”

Regarding the graduation ceremony, she shared, “I was very proud, but it was also sad to say goodbye.” As for her next steps, Lavinia plans to get her driver’s license, participate in an internship in China, and prepare for her new life at the USC, where she will begin her studies this fall.

Ari shared similar feelings. “I’m happy we’re all moving on to the next stage of our lives, but I already miss my friends so much,” she said. Ari was selected to read a poem on stage as a representative of the graduating class. Though she felt nervous, she said, “In the end, I was able to make the best memories of school life with my friends.”

This fall, Ari will begin studying Business Administration at UC Berkeley. She expressed her excitement about the new and diverse experiences college will bring.

Both Lavinia and Ari offered advice to future seniors: senior year goes by quickly, so they encourage students to “do what you truly want to do, explore a wide range of options, and make it a year with no regrets.”

Juniors are also having a mix of emotions, including appreciation for seniors, a deep sense of missing all of them, and a combination of nervousness and excitement as they look ahead to their final year.

Felix, an 11th grader, shared that watching the seniors leave felt “surreal.” “It’s so hard to imagine EF without them,” and the fact that they will not be here next year made him “very sad.” While he was sad to say goodbye to all the seniors, he feels “happy for them” at the same time cause “it’s a new beginning” for them. 

He feels “reluctance” and “anxious” becoming a senior next year but he is hoping to “enjoy” rest of his “high school life with friends.” 

Shiori, an 11th grader, shared that “seeing everyone graduate made me realize that our time is coming soon.” She also mentioned about how it boosts her motivation. “It makes me want to work harder, not just for college, but to make this last year meaningful.” Her goal for next year is to “create lasting memories and make the most of every opportunity.” She emphasized, “I don’t want leave with regrets.”

Ingram Chung, Cyrus Duarah, Ai Hiruma, Riana, Hijiri Nakamatsu, Kira Marie, Kristian Stanek, Queenie Wang, and Han Xiao contributed reporting for this article.