BrewsterConnections - Brewster Academy
BrewsterConnections - Brewster Academy
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 />
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