Written by Katherine Wang (Class of 2024) and the DVGS Editorial Team
Photos by Emily Tan (Class of 2026), Ashley Dong (Class of 2025), and Erica Lai (Class of 2024)

June 2nd, 2023 marked an exciting yet bittersweet day for the graduating class of 2023, as it signified the end of their high school journey and the beginning of their adventures beyond DVGS. The graduation ceremony was held in Wonderful Words Hall, which was decorated with gold balloons and streamers, with chairs and benches set up for the graduates’ families and guests. The graduating senior class of 2023 consisted of seven students: Abigail Gong, Alice Sandel, Amy Liu, Hillary Tran, Phoenix Vo, Serene Chin, and Veronica Tee.

The ceremony commenced as the graduates and rising 7th and 9th graders walked into the hall to the school song, “Jin Xu Kong.” After an introduction and welcome, Ms. Julia Mark was invited to present the 6th grade promotions to Aarya Desai, Cecilia Akin-Paz, Shriya Bhula, Sofia Heimburg, Victoria Yu, and Xinwen Zhang. After a short speech by Xinwen and Victoria, Ms. Sophie Wu presented the 8th grade promotion awards to Anya Francis, Emily Chen, Georgia McGaw, Josette Mealey, Ka Wui So, Selene Luong, and XiaoYue Cheng. Representing these rising high school freshmen, Josette and XiaoYue gave a touching reflection on their journey through middle school.

Next came a poignant speech by principal Jin Jr Shr, reminding the graduating class to carry the light of the eight core virtues out into the world. Dr. Jose Vega, who teaches AP Biology and AP Environmental Science, then gave a motivational speech, exhorting the students to make a positive impact on the world with the tools they learned from their experiences at DVGS. The parent speakers, Mr. Benjamin Sandel and Mr. Wei Gong, parents of graduates Alice Sandel and Abigail Gong, respectively, further expressed their encouragement to the seniors, reminding them that despite their physical distance after graduation, the seven of them will always be together whenever someone remarks, “You went where for high school?!” Last but not least, the alumni speaker, Cindy Han (Class of 2019) gave an uplifting speech sharing her advice for the graduates.

Then it was time for the highly anticipated speeches by the seniors, which brought laughter and tears to the audience and the graduates’ families. Some of them reflected on their personal journeys at this unique school, with one graduate remarking, “They always say we are fledgling birds leaving the nest, but I’d like to think of us as treelings. Although we may be constantly growing upward, rising to join a new layer of the canopy, our roots will always remain here. Our values, outlook, and understanding of the world will always be grounded in what we have learned and experienced here at DVGS.” Others thanked their teachers and families for their never-ending support, as a graduate noted: “Jokes aside, I would like to thank my family, especially my parents who have been my unpaid therapists, my biggest supporters and critics, and also to be honest my ATM machine. And to my brother, who has been my personal ranting sanctuary. Although you may have been secretly annoyed, thank you for allowing me to vent, to release the pent-up frustrations and share my deepest concerns and providing an endless supply of empathy.” Still others gave heartfelt words of advice to their younger sisters, saying, “In this fleeting moment of reflection, to my younger sisters, don’t be afraid of change. May we all continue to be the storytellers of our own lives, using our words and actions to shape a world filled with joy, spontaneity, and endless possibilities.” Lastly, a graduate reflected, “In conclusion, my fellow graduates, as we say goodbye to high school and step into the great unknown, let’s carry with us the lessons, the laughter, and the memories. Let’s face the challenges that lie ahead with a sense of humor, because life is too short to take everything so seriously. Embrace the unexpected, find joy in the little things, and remember to laugh along the way.” Congratulations to all of the seniors on their graduation and best wishes in their future journeys!

After the graduates’ speeches, Jin Jr Shr presented the awards and honor roll to all the students. Seniors Hillary Tran and Amy Liu won the Gold Presidential Award (Gates Foundation & National Merit Scholar); Serene Chin and Abigail Gong were awarded the Silver Presidential Award; and Phoenix Vo, Veronica Tee, and Alice Sandel received hard earned leadership awards. Juniors Erica Lai, Cherry Ngo, and Katherine Wang were awarded the Honor Roll. The awards marked all of the hard work that the students put into their academics, extracurriculars, and moral conduct this year.

The graduation ceremony concluded with two songs the students had prepared for the seniors, “Never Grow Up” by Taylor Swift and “鳳凰花開的路口 (At the Crossroads Where Phoenix Flowers Grow)” by Terry Lin. The nostalgic but upbeat lyrics perfectly encompassed all the blood, sweat, and tears, as well as the hopes and dreams of the graduating seniors.

After the graduation ceremony, the students and graduates’ families were invited to a reception party at IITBT, which was decorated with a silver theme by the junior class. Silver and gold balloons welcomed the seniors into a room filled with bright decorations, colorful LED balloons, and disco lights. As the students settled in with desserts and snacks lovingly prepared by Heng Dzu Shr, the dorm mother, they were invited to watch a slideshow of the graduates’ families wishing their daughters a happy graduation, as well as messages from DVGS alumni and some special guests. Afterwards, the students spent the afternoon taking pictures and cherishing their moments with each other, before finally concluding the school year of 2022-2023.