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BrewsterConnections - Brewster Academy

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<strong>Brewster</strong> Alumnus Topher Grace Tells<br />

Graduates That Life is About Extra Credit<br />

and Finding a Door and Going Through It<br />

By Marcia Eldredge<br />

On May 28, <strong>Brewster</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> graduated 117 students at its 191 st<br />

Commencement, and graduate Topher Grace ’97 returned to campus<br />

to deliver the commencement address to the Class of 2011.<br />

The ceremony took place in the Smith Center for Athletics and Wellness with<br />

Head of School Dr. Michael E. Cooper presiding. Day students Beth Duffy and<br />

Dana Hughes were the valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.<br />

“Just doing what is expected is no longer enough”<br />

Grace began his remarks by recalling his own graduation and how familiar he was<br />

with his fellow Bobcats’ <strong>Brewster</strong> experience.<br />

“I have done this all before. I know all about being a <strong>Brewster</strong> Bobcat and living<br />

in Sargent Hall and eating every meal at the Estabrook. I know about having an IS<br />

teacher and trying to get JBS scholar. I know all about the Ac and study hours and<br />

work hours and the long winters up here at Wolfeboro and the Polar Bear Club<br />

and the winter carnival and the BAPA book and the Bubble and headmaster’s<br />

holidays and how beautiful it is when it all turns to spring here. I know about the<br />

great teachers here.”<br />

He promised to be brief and to the point but wanted to make sure the Class of<br />

2011 knew that “just doing what is expected is no longer enough.”<br />

“As wonderful as it is to go off into the world – and there are so many great<br />

experiences that lie ahead for you guys – high school graduation is the end of<br />

something. It is the end of anyone else really caring about what you do with your<br />

life. Sure there is homework and grades in college and when you go to work you<br />

have to be on time, and I promise you, if you do something illegal, you will be<br />

arrested, but the days of adults really getting into your business are over.<br />

Topher Grace ‘97<br />

“What a relief some of you are saying to yourselves, and you’re right. It’s great to<br />

have all that freedom. But no one is going to be there anymore to pester you to<br />

hand in an assignment or try again to make it better, or no one is going to make<br />

you sign up for sports or encourage you to paint or do theater. Your parents and<br />

teachers here at <strong>Brewster</strong> have given you the tools but now it is up to you, no<br />

one is going to force you to do a good job, in fact, no one is going to force you to<br />

do anything.<br />

“And I promise you, if you want to get by and be average, it will work. The world<br />

is not only full of average people who do only the minimum required, it is built<br />

for them. See it’s hard to find opportunities, and it’s even harder work to take<br />

advantage of them.”<br />

Spencer Montgomery<br />

and Meredith Haynes<br />

Sarah MacDonnell<br />

and Mitch Chapman<br />

Ryan Ingram<br />

and Peter Mann<br />

Maggie Hess and<br />

Markus Kennedy<br />

Yutaka Morino<br />

and Maria Found<br />

www.brewsteracademy.org<br />

5

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