“We did it!”…”It’s been a great year but I am ready to move ahead.”… Of particular note was the recognition of 19 graduating students who echoed the refrain, “St. Mary’s has been my home since Kindergarten. It’s been a huge part of my life and I will really miss being here.” This was the recurring sentiment expressed at St. Mary’s as it celebrated the end of its school year with commencement ceremonies for its Kindergarten and Grade 5 students, and a baccalaureate service and graduation ceremony recognizing its 75 graduating 8th Grade students. St. Mary’s is the only International Baccalaureate (IB) private school in Orange County. As the school draws near its 20-year anniversary it has achieved regional acclaim, serving PS-Grade 8 students from more than 11 cities in Orange County from the coastal communities of Newport Beach down to San Clemente and inland from Irvine to the foothills of Trabuco Canyon. “I have no doubt our students are prepared for the next steps in their educational journey because of their foundation we helped them build to thrive in our ever-changing world with twenty-first century global skills,” said John O’Brien, Headmaster. “I am certain we will continue to hear great things about our students as they enter high school. We have collaborated with families throughout their time at St. Mary’s to help cultivate their children to be risk-takers who are caring, open-minded kids who understand the importance of a balance of academics, enrichment and athletic pursuits.” The last week of school was filled with opportunities to recognize and honor student accomplishment across the many disciplines. Academic honors bestowed to Grades 6-8 students, included Faculty Honors (3.40-3.69 GPA, Principal Honors (3.70-3.99 GPA); Headmaster Honors and Exemplars (4.0+ GPA). Numerous Subject Honors recognized student’s skills in Science, Languages (French, Spanish, Chinese), Math and Humanities. Numerous awards for scholastics athletics, arts, music, service learning and scholarships were part of the mix as students, families, faculty and staff came together to celebrate significant moments in school life. Musical highlights of the events included two original songs and lyrics written and sung by students. Grade 8 student Karli Pieropan composed a song earlier in the year that contemplated change that brought tears to many eyes. In addition, Riley Ireland, Grade 5, wrote a song about leaving St. Mary’s, where she and her siblings attended and her father, John Ireland served on the school’s Board of Trustees. Other musical numbers showcased the talents of the Middle School Jazz Band, several masterful piano performances and an outstanding drum solo by Jared Rodriguez, Grade 8. Headmaster O’Brien noted, “The commitment of our students is evident as we recognized so many young people for their considerable academic achievements as well as for their leadership abilities and talents in the arts and in athletics. As our students are increasingly recognized as individuals who are motivated to constantly self-reflect and become successful lifelong learners, it is not surprising that enrollment is reaching the point where we are just about to capacity. In fact, we are in the fortunate position to have wait pools for several grades.”