This article was originally published in the summer 2013 Harker Quarterly.

On June 5, the Class of 2020 took the final step on their journey as lower school students at the grade 5 promotion ceremony. Opening with a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by grade 5 class president Avi Gulati, the ceremony continued with Chris Nikoloff, head of school, greeting the students, parents and faculty in attendance and congratulating the grade 5 class on reaching the pivotal next step in their careers as Harker students.

The grade 4-6 dance group Dance Fusion, led by Gail Palmer, amped up the audience with an exciting performance before a special slide show recapping the 2012-13 school year was shown. The members of the grade 5 class then walked up to receive their promotion certificates.

Jennifer Sandusky led the newly promoted students in singing “Lean On Me” and “The Harker School Song” before incoming middle school ASB president Megan Huynh, grade 7, gave a special welcome speech to the students who will be starting middle school in the fall.

Kristin Giammona, elementary division head, offered a heartwarming closing speech to the audience before the ceremony came to a close.