Burroughs Graduates 103 Seniors

Family members, teachers and other supporters of the Class of 2011 gathered outside in the campus' amphitheatre on Thursday night for the 86th annual graduation ceremony.

Just after 7 p.m., the students made their way into the amphitheatre, which is also referred to as the "Graduation Grove," in pairs. The senior ladies wore white dresses of their choosing, while the senior men wore white tuxedo jackets with black bow ties and pants.

History and physical education teacher Todd Small gave the invocation.

"We rejoice in the completion of these Burroughs students' journey," he said. "Rejoice not only in the harmony of this evening, but in the effect of true gratitude."

Board of Trustees President Todd Schnuck then introduced the two seniorspeakers, Grant Wallace and Elizabeth Strassner, who were chosen by a committee that read their anonymous submissions.

"I would like to thank my family so much for the opportunity to go to John Burroughs," Wallace said. "I can't detail all the experiences over these six years, that would take too long."

Wallace went on to detail a few highlights of the Class of 2011's time at Burroughs, including a trip to the Grand Canyon and the class' commitment to the school's sports teams.

Strassner's address centered on the community aspect of the school.

"Everything about Burroughs is conducive to camaraderie," Strassner said. "I'm grateful that I got to know you all as well as I did."

After the students finished their addresses, Schnuck introduced Head of School Andy Abbott.

"You'll be the 86th group to graduate from Burroughs, and most of them have done so right under these same trees," Abbott said.

The diplomas were then presented. In Burroughs tradition, the diplomas were shuffled and then distributed in random order, starting with Kristen Ingram and ending with Katherine Weinstein.

"I was surprised," Ingram said later in the evening. "I didn't expect to be going first."

After all 103 diplomas were disbursed, Small came back to the podium for the benediction.

"Class of 2011, may your thoughts and actions enrich mankind and be of benefit to all," Small said.

After the ceremony, the graduates and guests were treated to a reception outside of the Abbots' home, which is on the school's campus. Several of the parents were emotional about seeing their children graduate.

"I'm a graduate of Burroughs," Isabel Brandt, mother of Madeline, said, trying to fight back tears. "I moved back to the St. Louis area in the hope that my daughter could go here. To see her graduate was just one of the highlights of my life."

John Burroughs School Class of 2011

Alex Gilbert Abramson, Keaton Scott Armentrout, Vanessa Brill Asaro, Christopher Richard Bach, Laine Hope Baizer, Nicole Benzaquen, Karlos Darrell Bledsoe Jr., William Joseph Bliss, Winston Edward Boldt, Latrece Nicole Booker, Madeline Virginia Brandt, Joseph Charles Bratkowski, Elizabeth Carol Brown, Margaret Edmundson Chapman, Vikram Chauhan, Laura Vaughn Cooper, Liberty Lee Cornwell, Miriam Elisabeth Cruz, Adam Toombs Datema, Philip Carter Dearing, Oliver Phoenix Dee, Ann Elisabeth Diemer, Madeline Meriwether Divine, Rosalind Joy Dreyer, Gregory Anton Emmenegger, Anastasia Bierut Evanoff, Kyle Donald Feldmann, Tiffani Elizabeth Ferrell, Henry ColterFremont, Brian Patrick Gaffigan, Michael Paul Gans, Anna Nicole Ghnouly, Kevin Campbell Gilbert, Natalia Lucia Giuffra, Rosalba Gleijeses, Mary Mackenzie Grady, Sara Calandra Grote, Hannah Elizabeth Heard, John Forson Hildreth, Willie Allen Hill, Justin Wei-Dar Hwang, Kristen Nicole Ingram, Lea Simone Johnson, Elizabeth Mary Kelly, Jack Clayton Krewson, John Benton Krupela, Katharine Michelle Taesu Latta, Eric Chadwick Lawton, Jakob Jeffrey Leonard, Eli Benett Levin, Michael Alexander Lublin, Christina Brianne Malzahn, Willem Stewart Maritz, Charles Parker McCarty, Thomas Hawkins McKone, Rebecca Nicole Meier, Hayley Jane Mercer, Morgan Crystal Mizell, Shira Ann Mogil, Tyler James Moon, Jacob Kendall Mulcahy, Iska Hatch Nardie-Warner, Harrison Taylor Odaniell, Fadeseye Koyejo Oluokun, Nilesh JayprakashPatel, Hannah MeredithPhelps, Sydney Elizabeth Philpott, Anna Marie Poeppelmeier, Alex Land Prakken, Emily Leigh Purvines, Nicholas Moll Rassieur, Farhan Syed Raza, Jenée Angéle Rideaux, Elise Lillian Riley, Helen Lindsey Rodgers, Timothy Jordan Ross, Lindsay Jacqueline Ruck, Jonathan Patrick Sandiford, Margaret Frances Schnuck, Jordan Elizabeth Schott, Nathaniel James Howard Shelton, Samuel Johnson Shinkle, Katie Elizabeth Smith, William Connor Smith, Eric Scott Steinhouse, Elizabeth Duncan Strassner, Thomas Stark Lawson Strassner, Tanvi Subramanian, Sean Nicole Sudekum, Kamron Nicole Taylor, Ryan Michael Torno, Turner Buchanan Trapp, Emily Saigh Valli, Samuel Dunbar Van Doren, Grant Robert Wallace, Alice Lewis Wang, Katherine Jessica Weinstein, Whitney Garland Weisman, John Wellington Welsh, Brent Curtis Westbrook, Keaton Hamilton Wetzel, Megan Elizabeth Winsby, Robert Dewavon Wright