The week before graduation, better known as ‘Senior Week,’ has always been an exciting time at The Storm King School. This year, the Class of 2024 made lasting memories on a trip to Six Flags New England, a field day filled with fun and games, and several awards ceremonies–all leading up to the School’s 156th commencement. The anticipation reached its pinnacle on Friday, June 7—the eve of graduation—when the seniors and their families gathered at Orr Commons for the Butterfly Ceremony, followed by the Senior Banquet and Senior Service.

The Butterfly Ceremony and Senior Service are important traditions at the School, and a highlight of the Storm King experience. The first Butterfly Ceremony was held nearly two decades ago by former Dean of Students Robert Watson, who, at the time, was in search of creative ways to engage his students in their own graduation experiences.

At the Butterfly Ceremony, a sharply-dressed senior class forms a circle on the lawn in front of Orr Commons. Each senior is given a delicate envelope containing a live Monarch butterfly to release as they make a wish for the future. “The butterfly is a symbol of transformation in many cultures and serves to represent our graduating seniors who are transitioning into the possibilities of their futures,” explained Associate Dean of Students Jim Bennett, who led the event this year.

Following the Butterfly Ceremony, the seniors and their families enjoy a delicious meal at the Senior Banquet before proceeding to the Walter Reade Jr. Theatre for the much-anticipated Senior Service.  Senior Service, another important Storm King tradition, gives the seniors a chance to speak their minds and bid their farewells with family, faculty, and friends as witnesses–a tradition which began during Headmaster Frank Brogan’s tenure (1966-1974) when Storm King held its first open-forum commencement in 1969.

This year’s Senior Service opened with remarks by Assistant Head of School for Academics Dr. Tim Lance, followed by a processional of the Class of 2024, who placed candles on the stage while each student’s name and the college they will attend in the fall was announced. Next, Associate Dean of Students Jim Bennett, chosen by the senior class to address them, gave a heartfelt and entertaining speech which sparked laughter and hearty applause from the audience. Smiles and tears filled the theater as the class watched the Senior Slideshow featuring photos of their collective journey at SKS.

Senior Speeches were the final event of the evening, where the seniors who chose to do so spoke about their time at SKS–their cherished memories, relationships, struggles, and triumphs. During their emotional speeches, the students thanked family, friends, teachers, and all those who made a difference in their educations and lives. To close the ceremony, Senior Class Advisor Matthew Ciunga wished the seniors well and sent them off to enjoy their last night together on the Mountain before transitioning to the next phase of their lives.