Students and families celebrated the 138th Commencement and the Lower and Middle Schools’ moving-up ceremonies.

A gentle breeze danced through the trees and flowers at Sidwell Friends School as the Class of 2026 processed through campus for the final time today, a world of possibilities ahead of them.

Commencement Speaker Paul Goldstein ‘94 offered much food for thought during his remarks, focusing on two main topics—the opportunities that come with failure and the importance of personal connection. Goldstein, who played professional tennis following a legendary college career at Stanford University and who is now head coach of the Stanford men’s tennis team, shared that the inevitable trials and tribulations of life—whether on a tennis court, in the classroom, or on a certain career path— are “where the good stuff is buried—you just gotta find it.” When speaking of failure, he mentioned legendary basketball star Kobe Bryant who asserted that failure doesn’t exist. “And what he means by that,” said Goldstein, “is that it’s only failure if you are unsuccessful on Monday and don’t show up on Tuesday, looking to learn from that experience.” 

Head of School Bryan Garman honored a beloved classmate, Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa, who died in attacks that took place in Sri Lanka in 2019. “His young life served as an example of what could be accomplished through compassion, curiosity, and intelligence,” he said. 

Rounding out his remarks to the graduating class, Garman said, “Each one of you is a miracle, a divine and diverse person who, like all humans, deserves peace. Time and again, you have shown us that there is that of God in every one of you. Thank you for sharing that goodness and for answering it in others. Continue to welcome silence, seek peace, and love as deeply and fully as you are able. The more love you create, the more peace there will be in the world. The more love you receive, the more peace you will experience.”

The Class of 2026 weren’t the only Sidwell Friends students moving on. On Friday morning, the 4th graders (the Class of 2034) celebrated their transition from Lower School to Middle School in a joyful ceremony. Lower School Principal Adele Paynter praised the students on how deeply they care about their learning, each other, and the world. She also encouraged the class, “As you head off to Middle School, we don’t just want to celebrate today—we want to celebrate the journey that brought you here, because that’s where all the learning, growth, and memories live.”

The day before, the 8th graders (the Class of 2030) excitedly marked their move from Middle School to Upper School. Students reflected on their journey through Middle School and Garman noted that the Class of 2030 will be the first class to spend four years in the new Upper School building, which will open in September. Middle School Principal Allen Vandegrift commended the 8th graders’ success and offered some sage advice: “See challenges as opportunities, control the controllables, and don’t fall in line, but stand out.”

As the Class of 2026 recessed out of Pearson Athletic Center and into the world, there was a keen sense of excitement, pride, and possibility. For many, Goldstein’s advice about the power of personal connection will resonate for years to come: “For the vast majority of you, your next step is to head off to college. My suggestion is that you utilize a door stop (during waking hours) for your freshman dorm room. An open door is an invitation—to connection, to new experiences, to the moments that will end up mattering most.” Goldstein then presented the members of the class with custom Sidwell wooden doorstops as a parting gift.

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