The Fountain Valley community gathered on the graduation lawn on Saturday, May 25, to celebrate the Class of 2024 during the School’s 94th Commencement Exercises. A class that began its high school journey in 2020 amid the COVID pandemic, this group of students brought determination, courage, and curiosity to campus, eager to tackle any hurdles they would face in the years to come.

During this time, they grew from “individuals existing separately within a community to individuals building and strengthening a community,” noted Junlin “Dolphin” Qian, one senior selected to co-present this year’s class address alongside classmate Annie Wrubel ’24.

In her welcoming address, FVS’s ninth Head of School Megan Harlan echoed these sentiments, as she affirmed that the Class of 2024 has “provided a wonderful road map for connection and leadership,” creating a sense of community and belonging and setting positive examples for underclassmen to follow.

Along with Harlan, other noteworthy speakers throughout this year’s Commencement Exercises included the President of the Board of Trustees – also a Class of 1981 alumnus – J. Greg Osborne, and the ceremony’s Principal Speaker, Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart. Justice Hart put it best while touching on the qualities that make up almost every graduation, describing the best as providing “a blend of celebration [and] reflection… designed to honor you and to look toward the future with optimism.” The morning’s festivities were, in fact, just that; the perfect combination of celebration and reflection, accompanied by genuine excitement for the future of this year’s graduating seniors, several of whom were recognized and awarded for their accomplishments and hard work at FVS.

In addition to granting the J. Philo Nelson Award to English Faculty Liana Fernez for her “service to the school and exceptional performance as an educator, mentor, and colleague,” Harlan recognized eight seniors – Marjorie “Molly” Friedman, Trayee Reddy, Naomi Edwards, Annie Wrubel, Ella Burkle, Frank “Grizz” Morin, Kaleb Gramsch, and Margaret "Greta" Kennedy – for going above and beyond the requirements of the traditional FVS curriculum to earn Global Scholar / STEM Diplomas. She also proudly presented department and the School's highest honor awards* to the following student-recipients:

Congratulations to the entire Class of 2024.

View Photos

Watch the Recording

See Photos Featured in the "Gazette"