Graduation is a monumental event for the seniors walking the stage, and Darlington School’s class of 2025 graduation on May 17 celebrated this turning point by sharing words of wisdom with the graduates from peers and the adults in their lives.
“Commencement is a special word as it is defined as both a beginning and as an end,” said Head of School Brent Bell at the start of the ceremony.
Despite inclement weather that led to a 30-minute delay of Saturday’s ceremony, the Darlington courtyard was packed with families and friends excited to celebrate the graduating seniors.
Bell’s opening words and the music for the ceremony, provided by Darlington students, set a hopeful and bright tone.
The commencement speaker, Wendy Fitzwilliam, a parent of graduate Ailan Panton, strengthened the hopeful atmosphere.
Fitzwilliam spoke of not just her experience as a parent, but of the many lessons she learned from her time as Miss Universe and life as a public figure.
Looking at the graduates seated in front of her, she shared that this milestone marks the end of their childhood and the start of their adult lives.
She advised them to embrace the tiger within themselves. The tiger is Darlington’s mascot, and Fitzwilliam told the students to strive to embody the many traits of the animal, especially perseverance.
“Tigers do not give up and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals,” Fitzwilliam said. “They keep moving forward even in the face of obstacles and setbacks.”
Perseverance is a trait both Fitzwilliam and the student body president, Atlas Kosedag, said the graduates need.
Kosedag shared obstacles he’s had to overcome and how that taught him the importance of adapting when life doesn’t go as planned.
“I learned the importance of perseverance and how necessary it is to push yourself past your limits,” he said. “If I had still been dwelling on my plans, I would have missed the life that was unfolding right in front of me. I wouldn’t have realized our most cherished experiences don’t come from the plans that we make, but instead the life that happens to us as we attempt to carry them out.”
They both stressed that life is unpredictable and can be hard, so to be successful, a person must work through the obstacles and adapt to the changes life throws their way.
This article was written by Rachel Hartdegen and originally published in the Rome News-Tribune on May 20, 2025.
