Ninety Eight SLS Graduates Celebrated at the 96th Commencement

On May 30, St. Luke’s School (SLS) held its 96th commencement ceremony—honoring the 98 members of the Class of 2025.

Head of School Dr. Mary Halpin Carter told the Class they were known and loved by faculty and staff for being multifaceted, renaissance people who were quite serious about academics but unafraid to get silly. She reminded the seniors: 

“Our mission has never been about competing with your peers. It’s about preparing you to contribute—to your workplaces, your communities, your families, and your country. You carry with you what you’ve lived here: the care, the curiosity, the humor, the listening, the respect. In that way, SLS is not a place to leave behind—it’s a launching point. A hub that sends humane leaders into the world. And the world very much needs you.”

Salutatorian Laurel Aronian will attend Harvard University in the fall. Aronian asked fellow graduates to reflect on the positive power of welcoming, inclusive people:

“At St. Luke’s, I’ve paid close attention to what it means to welcome, and I’ve observed that some of the most beautiful moments occur in openly receiving others and being received ourselves. In college and beyond, I hope we all find people who welcome us from the moment we walk in. But I also hope that each of us seeks to be that welcoming person by putting ourselves out there, by creating groups that include everyone, and by approaching others with compassion.”

Valedictorian Lena Olbrys will attend Johns Hopkins University in the fall. After the graduating class received their diplomas, Olbrys encouraged her peers to remember the small moments as they prepare for college and beyond.

“When I look out at this class, I see a group of people who have spent years doing the small things for each other. Holding doors. Staying behind to help clean up. Checking in with each other. Saying ‘thank you’ to our teachers after our classes. Laughing in the hallways when we needed it most. As we move on to college, jobs, and new adventures, say the kind word and make the thoughtful gesture—what seems small to you might mean everything to someone else.”

The ceremony also featured musical performances of “Home” by Phillip Phillips, performed by the Chorale, and “93 Million Miles” by Jason Mraz, performed by the Chorale and SLS Faculty and Staff.