The Class of 2025 Crosses the Stage

On the morning of June 6, 2025, the CAPA was filled with proud families, beloved teachers, and a class of eighth graders who stood a little taller than they had the year before. Browne Academy’s 38th Annual Eighth Grade Graduation wasn’t just a ceremony—it was a sendoff filled with warmth, personality, and genuine reflection on the years that brought these students to this moment.

The Class of 2025 is a uniquely bonded group. Some have been walking the halls of Browne since preschool, while others joined more recently, but the collective spirit they’ve formed is unmistakable. Over the course of their Browne journey, they’ve tackled Capstone, led classroom discussions, built lifelong friendships, and developed the kind of quiet confidence that comes from being seen, supported, and challenged by a close-knit school community.

There was plenty to celebrate: academic accomplishments, team championships, major projects, and unforgettable trips. But what stood out most on graduation day was how this group showed up for one another—with honesty, humor, and gratitude.

Adding to the celebration was a special address from alumni speaker Logan Brooks ’21, who returned to share reflections on his own journey and remind students that while graduation marks an ending, it also opens the door to entirely new opportunities. Her words offered a bridge between past and future—proof that Browne’s influence continues long after students leave campus.

Teachers were honored not just for what they taught, but for how they cared. Peers were celebrated for their loyalty and sense of humor. Parents and families were thanked repeatedly for their unwavering presence and behind-the-scenes support. It was clear this was a class that understood the value of community—and knew how to express it.

Jackson Shapiro captured it well, reflecting that “Browne has helped me grow not just as a student, but as a person… to think about others, to do the right thing even when it’s hard.” It’s a sentiment many echoed—not just growth in academic skill, but in empathy, responsibility, and voice.

Graduation was also a reminder of how far these students have come. “I walked into this school when I was three,” said Lila Sasso, “and I stand here today more confident and ready for what’s next.” That readiness didn’t come overnight. It was built through years of early morning practices, difficult essays, group projects, performance nerves, and hallway laughter.

Even for students who didn’t spend more than a few years at Browne, the connection runs deep. “It doesn’t matter when you came in,” one student said. “You felt like you belonged.”

The word “family” came up often—not just in the traditional sense, but in the way students described their bond with teachers, staff, and one another. “Family isn’t just something you’re born into,” said Tatiana Laster. “It’s something you create.” That kind of community is hard to measure, but easy to recognize when it fills a room the way it did that morning.

As students stepped off the stage and into what comes next—new schools, new cities, new dreams—they carried with them a shared foundation. They’ve learned how to speak up, how to listen well, how to lead with purpose, and how to support the people around them.

The Class of 2025 leaves Browne with more than a diploma. They leave with perspective, gratitude, and a sense of self shaped by a place that asked them not just to perform, but to grow.