This story originally appeared in the summer 2016 Harker Quarterly.

Grade 5 students received a warm send-off at a touching promotion ceremony held in the late afternoon on June 1 in the lower school gymnasium.

Members of the Class of 2023 officially ended their time as lower school students during the ceremony, which opened with a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by class president Alexander Lan. Kristin Giammona, elementary division head, then greeted the students, parents and faculty in attendance and congratulated the students on this exciting next step in their academic careers.

The grade 4-6 dance group Dance Fusion, directed by Gail Palmer, delighted the audience with a performance to the song “Dancing on the Ceiling.” Following that, a slideshow recapping the school year was shown before the excited students walked up to receive their promotion certificates. Kellie Binney-Smart, lower school choral music teacher, led the newly promoted students in the songs “Stand By Me” and the “The Harker School Song,” after which incoming middle school ASB president and rising grade 8 student Jason Lin gave a speech welcoming the newest middle schoolers. Binney-Smart then offered a heartwarming send-off to the class.

Giammona closed the ceremony with a final farewell. The students and their guests then enjoyed a reception featuring a “Class of ’23” cake and other treats.