The Baldwin School Celebrates 128th Graduating Class

On Thursday, June 9, 62 seniors graduated from The Baldwin School as the 128th graduating class. These seniors earned 275 acceptances to 136 colleges and universities across 21 states in the US. Seventy-three percent of those who indicated a preference were admitted to their first or second choice college.

Nine students have committed to play college athletics at the following schools: Columbia University (2), Gettysburg College, Hamilton College, Middlebury College, Moravian College, Princeton, Skidmore College and Virginia Commonwealth University.

The class speaker for the 2016 commencement ceremony was Shayna Brooke Silverman. Miss Silverman, who was elected by her peers, delivered her speech on June 9 at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. This year's commencement keynote speaker was Valerie Biden Owens. Mrs. Biden Owens is a Pennsylvania native who has proven herself as an empowered and intelligent woman. She attended the University of Delaware from 1963-1967. She is the Campaign Manager, Sister and Best Friend of our nation's Vice President Joe Biden. She has led and managed Joe Biden's entire campaign history, including a seven-year consecutive winning streak in the senate. She is considered one of the first women to have managed a modern U.S. Senatorial and Presidential campaign, according to Harvard IOP. In addition to running her brother Joe's successful campaigns, she attained a position as an Executive Vice President of a media consulting firm called Joe Slade & White Company. She has held this position for 15 years and counting.

Mrs. Biden Owens participates in many women empowerment programs including:
• She was a member of the National Board of the Women's Leadership Forum of the Democratic National Committee
• Spent 15 years traveling for the Women's Campaign International
• Media Trainer/Consultant in The International Colloquium on Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security
• Took a trip in 2013 to Azerbaijan to work with their government's women leaders
• Awarded as one of the 50 "Women Inspiring Change" from around the world at Harvard

Valerie Biden Owens is a real life example and role model for the girls at the Baldwin school. She not only inspires them to become empowered women themselves, but inspires them to continue inspiring other women as well.