This article originally appeared in the summer 2016 Harker Quarterly.

The mood was bittersweet as parents of seniors gathered to mark their students’ final days at Harker, during a pair of celebrations for moms and dads held on the afternoon and evening of May 16.

At the annual Harker Senior Moms’ Luncheon, held in the gym, mothers of graduating seniors enjoyed a delicious meal served by the moms of juniors, while surrounded by collages commemorating the students’ academic journeys. During the event, mothers took to the podium to share memories of their children’s Harker experiences.

“Drink in this [graduation] week … it is a beautiful and special time,” Chris Nikoloff, head of school, advised the moms in attendance.

Later in the day, fathers enjoyed a new event of their own: Dads of Grads. The evening gathering, held on the quad, was a casual barbecue for all upper school fathers, with fathers of freshman, sophomores and juniors hosting the senior dads.