On the last Saturday of May, the NIS community gathered in the gym - joined by a global audience tuning in via livestream - to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2025. Like all graduations, it was special. Every graduation is. But this year held extra meaning: this was the 60th anniversary of our school, and this graduating class marked the end of NIS’s sixth decade.
Every graduation is meaningful. It's special first and foremost for the students. This is their personal success, their learning journey, their achievement - earned through years of effort, growth, and perseverance. Above everything, this is their day!
But it's also special for their families. The little ones who, just yesterday, were heading out for their first day of preschool, are now young adults ready to step into the world - to inquire, to inspire, and to have impact. To be a parent or caregiver on graduation day is a moment of pride, celebration and, if we’re honest, a little sadness!
And it’s a special day, too, for the teachers and staff - those who have supported, challenged, and guided them along the way. Not just in their final year, and not just in high school, but across their full learning journey. In a school like NIS, which starts from preschool and goes all the way through high school, some of our graduates began their journey here 15 years ago, when they were just three years old. To be able to see and guide that journey through, from early childhood to adulthood, is extraordinary. Every step along the way, there have been staff standing beside them, helping them grow into young people with the courage and capacity to chart their own paths and define their own identities.
What always amazes me at graduation is the way each student’s individuality shines through, despite all the uniformity. Everyone is dressed the same: the same green gown, the same cap. They walk to the stage in the same way. The tassel ceremony is done from the same spot on the same stage. They share a class song (this year, “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen). They share a class motto (this year, simply: “We Did It”.) They share class colors (this year, they chose green and gold).
In this way, it is easy to see the group, the class, as one. And they are. But what makes the moment so powerful is that within that group are 35 unique people. They may cross the stage in a similar way, but the journey each one took to get there, and the future they now step into, is entirely their own. That balance of unity and individuality is the magic of an NIS graduation.
In this way, graduation offers a window into the core philosophy of our school. We are a community brought together by shared values, a belief in inclusion, in belonging, in purpose, and in doing what’s right. We care for each other. We celebrate each other’s accomplishments, identities, and cultures. We believe in each other. And yet, within that collective identity, each student is forging their own path, discovering who they are and who they want to become.
That’s what makes our community strong. It’s not just that we come together - it’s that we come together as ourselves. The uniqueness of each and every child creates the specialness of the whole. And it’s not just the children. The same is true for every parent, every family member, and every member of staff. It is because we are different that we can come together as one community, leaning into what makes us different in order to find what makes us connected.
So, congratulations to the Class of 2025. You did it. And in doing so, you reminded us not only why you are special - but why this school is special too.
Good luck in all that lies ahead. We’re proud of you!
- Matthew Par, Head of School
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