Seniors always count down to Commencement and Founder’s Day on April 21, 2021 (40 days until Graduation!) saw them mark the start of their transition from students to alumnae.

Members of the Class of 2021 were welcomed into the Alumnae Association by President Mary Atwood ’83 during the Alumnae Induction ceremony. The hybrid and socially distanced event was held in the Anne Meyer Cross ’37 Athletic Center, with students and families also Zooming in from around the globe.

During the ceremony, students stamped the Book of the School (with proxies doing the honors for seniors learning remotely), signifying their transition to alumnae. Seniors also received their traditional charms, and the Class of 2021 Representatives were announced. Congratulations to Shannon Foster, Nya Mielke, Shairai Richards, Diana Sobolieva, and Paige Wright!

Head of School Julia Heaton opened the event by referencing the conclusion of the Derek Chauvin trial in Minnesota and by acknowledging the range of emotions and reactions community members may have to that event and to other acts of violence during the past year.

“Many are asking what yesterday’s verdict means about race and justice in the United States,” Ms. Heaton said. “This is a huge and important question — one I do not know the answer to — but what I do know is that the pathway toward a more just and equitable society does not rest in one verdict, one moment, or one individual. As we say in our MHS DEI statement, building an inclusive community where everyone is respected, valued, and affirmed takes ongoing work and commitment — from all of us.”

Ms. Heaton also referenced the significance of Founder’s Day, April 21, the birthday of Mira Hall, in 1863, to the day’s events, which also included new students signing the Book of the School and a Founder’s Day Celebration with strawberries and ice cream.

“Mira Hall grew up at a time when women could not vote or hold office, when only a few schools offered an excellent education to girls and women,” Ms. Heaton noted, adding that Miss Hall addressed the issue by opening her own school. “Mira Hall embodied the MHS core competencies of vision and gumption, and I am certain she would be very proud of her school 123 years later, and, particularly, the vision and gumption of the Class of 2021!”