This article originally appeared in the summer 2014 Harker Quarterly.

Emotions ran bittersweet on the afternoon of June 4, when members of the Class of 2021 officially ended their journey as lower school students during the grade 5 promotion ceremony, held in the lower school gymnasium.

The ceremony opened with a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by grade 5 class president Ashley Gauba, and continued with Chris Nikoloff, head of school, greeting the students, parents and faculty in attendance. He congratulated the students on reaching this important next step in their academic careers.

The grade 4-6 dance group Dance Fusion, led by Gail Palmer, delighted audience members with an exciting performance called “We Danced All Night.” Then, a special slideshow recapping the entire school year was shown, with narration by Cathy Hsieh, lower school science teacher. Excited students then walked up to receive their promotion certificates.

Kellie Binney-Smart, lower school choral music teacher, led the newly promoted students in singing songs (including “The Harker School Song”) before incoming middle school ASB president Kelsey Wu, grade 7, gave a special welcome speech to the students who will be starting middle school in the fall. Kristin Giammona, elementary division head, gave a heartwarming closing speech.