Grade 8 Portfolio Night: The Class of 2027 Moves on to the Upper School

The festivities began with a performance by the Middle School Big Band. Head of Middle School John Bower then took to the stage to welcome the crowd. Bower said he has “reveled in the uniqueness” of each of the 56 members of the Class of 2027. He emphasized that “how you show up is a choice you make”—and that this class has shown up in myriad ways for themselves and one another over their time in the Middle School. Quoting Aristotle, Bower said, “We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts,” adding that these Grade 8 students have embraced that philosophy in their approach to school and to life. 

Co-class presidents Cecily Gardner ’27 and Nico Dellarocca ’27 came to the podium to introduce the chosen Grade 8 speaker, Tucker Nielson ’27. Imagine if you could pause, rewind, and fast-forward in real life, said Nielson. Would anyone want to go back and relive the pandemic years? But challenging as they were, he said, “It showed us how resilient we could be,” adding that he and his classmates were “the lucky ones” who came through Covid relatively unscathed.

Following another performance, this one from musical theater students, each Grade 8 student in turn approached the podium to share a reflection about the lessons learned and goals attained over their Middle School years. Some common themes soon emerged: Mastering time management, learning how and when to ask for help, holding yourself to a high standard, understanding the importance of slowing down (or speeding up, as the case may be). Midway through the reflections came a pause that allowed for the guests to experience the true heart of the event: The opportunity to observe the displays of artifacts, artwork, schoolwork, and mementoes that make up the actual portfolios. At tables set up throughout the room, the Grade 8 students shared their work, proudly displaying the physical evidence of their efforts throughout the year. 

The most visible and perhaps most personal item on each display table was a skateboard painted, front and back, with designs and motifs meaningful to the young artists. Eden Hossaena ’27 explained that her board was decorated with the Ethiopian flag, to reflect her family’s origins; Ulrika Karlsson ’27’s honeycomb design echoed the honey she and her family enjoyed on a trip to New Zealand. Brooke Bartlett ’27’s design incorporated a creative rendering of her own nickname, Bart. 

Many students’ displays contained items whose significance only became obvious in the way they were labeled: “This is more than just a softball. This represents my good leadership skills.” “This is more than just a test. This represents my growth in math.” “This is more than just a playbill. It shows my hard work and effort because I had gotten a big part in the musical.” 

And in much the same way, Portfolio Night was more than a recognition of the year’s accomplishments. It was also a clear demonstration that the Class of 2027 is ready to take the next big step and move on to the Upper School.