Greenhill Graduates Class of 2022 at 72nd Annual Commencement

Greenhill School graduated the Class of 2022 at the 72nd Annual Commencement ceremony held at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at 4:00 pm.

 

Head of Upper School Trevor Worcester introduced the graduation class and gave welcoming remarks.

 

Hallie Sternblitz delivered a message of gratitude to Greenhill faculty and staff. “The teachers we have had the privilege of encountering during our time at Greenhill have made us the students, activists, friends, and humans that we are today, and it’s because they always knew the goal of our time at Greenhill, even when we didn’t. They were never aiming for us each to reach individual success, rather, they were aiming for the world to reach a greater success because of us.”

 

Pranav Mukund gave a senior address about how his Greenhill experience shaped who he has become. “Greenhill students are the very definition of community. We stand up for others. We recognize and call out behavior that doesn’t meet our standards... Every teacher and administrator, whether you realized it at the time or not, had an impact on you. By imparting knowledge and life lessons, they invested in you... My teachers believed in my capabilities and shed light on skills that I didn’t know I had. They turned my weaknesses into strengths, helping to transform a young, insecure braggart into a composed, mindful man – or as I’d like to think, a pretty chill dude.”

 

Shruti Siva delivered the second senior address, focusing on what she has learned at Greenhill and her excitement to face new challenges. “This graduation is the end of an era, but also the beginning of a new, exciting time for us. One where we get to explore everything we can, with our time at Greenhill as both a springboard and a north star to guide the morality of all the great things we’ll do... We are here today because people before us learned extraordinary things about the world and thought other people should know them. That knowledge is our great power, and it is now our responsibility to use what we were given to make the world as inviting as it seemed when we were little and all we wanted to do was go out and explore it. I believe we can, and I believe we should.”

 

 

“Shruti has excelled across all academic disciplines. Selected in 10th grade to take AP Biology, she has enrolled and successfully completed 8 AP courses and two post-AP courses – achieving an A+ in all but one of those high-level courses. In fact, if you were to look at Shruti’s transcript in Upper School, there are very, very few instances in which A+ is not the letter grade. That achievement also comes with great praise from faculty: our AP Econ teacher says ‘she asks questions that blow me away!’; the Vector Calculus teacher states Shruti ‘wants to understand the how and why’; and her second semester English teacher wrote, ‘[her] writings hold a spirit of inquiry that is at the heart of the best philosophical writing’. She has been a four-year Debater, achieving the state championship in March, and her capstone project focused on analyzing bias in prison sentencing.”

 

“‘Mature.’ ‘Responsible and hardworking.’ ‘A model for others.’ ‘A Powerhouse.’ Over the course of Upper School, Ella has successfully completed 7 AP courses, earning an A or A+ in all of them, and 2 post-AP courses, earning an A+ in each of those courses. Whether taking high-level STEM courses, English and History courses delving into genocide, the events of 9/11, or women’s writings, Ella engaged thoughtfully and wrote meticulously. In addition to these highly rigorous courses, she is also a gifted 3D artist and a 3-sport varsity athlete. Ella is self-confident in her work, multi-talented and achieving in all disciplines at the highest level.”

 

“Will brings a steadfast commitment to the activities for which he serves and leads. He has been an ambassador for the school as a Host on the Hill and a Hill Guide, deftly touring prospective families across the campus. This year, Will served as a peer mentor, helping guide 9th graders in advisory settings with the knowledge, experience, and advice of a 12th grader. The most visible of his accomplishments, however, are his numerous contributions to the Arts here at Greenhill: filmmaking, improv, theatrical productions. An integral part of Student Council, serving as Class President this year, one faculty member noted: ‘Will seems to always be around helping out and making things happen not just for the Senior Class but for the school as a whole.’ It seems that his first question in any given situation is ‘how can I help.’”

 

“Claudia has logged more than 800 service hours at various organizations during her four years at Greenhill. As much as the number of hours served is truly remarkable, it is the service and outreach work that takes priority for Claudia. She is a troupe leader for Teenage Communication Theater and a member and officer of the teen board for Heroes for Children, an organization that supports families whose children have cancer. With more than a dozen different agencies to which Claudia has dedicated her time, the biggest service involvement is as co-chair of Greenhill’s charity fashion show. This year the event raised more than $40,000 for the Grant Halliburton Foundation. As one faculty member wrote, ‘Claudia truly cares about the Dallas community and has a heart for service. She is a well-rounded student, mentor to younger students, and true leader among her peers.’ Claudia is a model for what our mission states: ‘prepare and inspire students to live authentic, purposeful lives.’”

 

“Ella has been called ‘a model for their peers’ by our faculty. Her advisor writes, ‘Ella’s strong sense of right and wrong not only drives her, but it inspires those around her.’ A four-year member of the Honor Council, a fellow student said, “Morally, I aspire to be Ella. She pushes me to be my best self every day, and every time I’m considering whether to take the easy way out of a situation, I think about what she would do.’ This moral compass transcends the classroom into the other parts of her Greenhill life. An extremely talented artist and four-year, three-sport varsity athlete, Ella brings both the most coachable attitude and highest work ethic to all in which she engages. But perhaps her Honors Spanish Literature teacher said it best: ‘Her treatment of our literary themes and the many characters she has encountered in our texts show her to be a considerate and compassionate person, an incredible student, and a wonderful example of what we hope for in all of our Hornets.’”

 

“‘Prisha brings “calm energy and a kind nature” to classrooms which in turn make those environments a better place for all students. A talented storyteller, she embarks on and engages in courses and activities that help narrate not only her own experiences, but also those of others. Regardless of the age of those with whom she interacts, Prisha always reflects our core values.  One faculty member writes, ‘She approaches her work and daily life with kindness and compassion towards lower schoolers, middle schoolers, and peers.’ Having witnessed these core values at work for the last four years, her advisor writes, ‘Prisha brings integrity, courage, and compassion to everything she embarks on. I have nothing but gratitude for the amazing citizenship and leadership that she has brought to our community.’ Committing to excellence in everything she does, Prisha’s own words summarize why she is an apt recipient for this award: ‘…Humanity is all one giant team, and we’re not winning if one of us isn’t…We have to look out for each other.’ Indeed we do.”

 

“Icis came to Greenhill in 9th grade. Faced with one of the longer commutes that a family has, she came to school each day with a bright smile, eager to face whatever challenge was set before her. Icis’s English teacher for Narrative Nonfiction lauded her for ‘bringing an inimitable energy, perspective, intelligence, and humor to the table each period.’ Despite all the numerous challenges Icis faced over her time in Upper School, she always took advantage of and engaged in a number of activities. Icis has served as manager to sports teams at Greenhill and has been a member of TACT (Teen-Age Communication Theater) this year. She has been involved in affinity groups and was an inaugural member of our Student Inclusion Council. Her college counselor remarked, ‘Icis brings a strong advocacy for equity along with her cheerfulness.’ Icis Courageously overcomes challenges in her control, and perseveres in the face of challenges outside of her control.”

 

“Eyob exudes energy and optimism, as his advisor notes, ‘Not many people can walk into a room and just make everyone smile without saying a word.’ Arriving at Greenhill in Kindergarten, Eyob has been involved in so many activities over the years. His college counselor writes, ‘one would be hard pressed to find someone on campus who has not been lifted by his kind-heartedness, humor, and optimism.’ Even more extraordinary is to see that light shine through, every day, in the face of challenges that many adults rarely experience, let alone an adolescent. And yet, Eyob makes great impressions on his peers and his teachers, as his 9th grade English teacher remarked, ‘I knew this student should be nominated for one of Greenhill’s highest honors all the way back when they were a freshman in my English class.’ Eyob translates to ‘loyal and trustworthy’ in Tigrinya, his family’s language; how fitting that we entrusted him in the role of emcee for our Homecoming pep rally in October and the Senior Family Dinner this past weekend, and he shined brightly in both instances.”

 

“Pranav commands the respect of both adults and peers. One English teacher writes, ‘Funny, enthusiastic, prepared, Pranav is always ready to immerse himself, and I can always count on him to kickstart or elevate the conversation. His compassion creates an inclusive environment that allows everyone to thrive.’ That respect also flows from his peers, as one student notes, “Along with teaching me to be comfortable in my own skin, he taught me how compassion was cool.’ Pranav has also led in several different activities outside the classroom: cofounder of our Model UN, Smarter Bites child-nutrition education president, and featured Bollywood dancer. A fixture in the recital hall as a member of the orchestra, Mr. Paraskevas notes, ‘Pranav’s strengths lift up the rest of the ensemble: solid technique, powerful sound, and rich capacity for musical expression… a superb leader, one who helps each member be his best.’”

 

“Jothi is, simply put, a shining star. Her advisor writes, ‘Jothi is an astounding leader, a kind person, and an example to the entire student body of Greenhill - purposeful, principled, and thoughtful’. Jothi engages in the most rigorous course load we offer, always looking for something new to discover. Some of her teachers have commented: ‘she is one of the most consistent contributors to class discussions,’ ‘an excellent classroom citizen,’ ‘a wonderful human,’ and ‘she is outstanding and raises the level of discourse in class each day.’ Those positive descriptors follow her as a captain on the Cross-Country team, a co-editor-in-chief of the Evergreen, and as Student Council President, where she instilled in us the need to elevate kindness and revel in the power of joy. I will leave you with a note from her college counselor: ‘Jothi has this exceptional combination of having the purest desire to learn and the humblest of intentions to make a difference in someone’s life’. In the years to come, we will be watching her make so much difference in the world with pride.”

 

And finally…

The Helen Fulton Awards are named in honor of Helen Fulton, founding faculty member and wife of Greenhill’s founder, Bernard Fulton. Helen Fulton was a life-long learner, exemplary citizen, and a well-rounded, balanced individual. This award is unique because seniors nominate their peers whom they believe embody these characteristics and then the winners are chosen by a faculty vote. Ten students were chosen to receive this award.

 

Gavin Bell

Bennett Broaddus

Caroline Greenstone

Kendall Hashimoto

Brodric Houston

Spencer Jacobs

Sumana Kethu

Jasmine Najari

Kaden Nathani

Mia Ness

Tatum Sims

Jorhdyn Tarpeh