On June 20, 2024, The Parkside School held its Graduation and Achievement Ceremony for Classes 5-2 and 5-4 at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater on the Upper West Side. We are proud to congratulate the Class of 2024 as they move on to middle school.
During the ceremony, we had the honor of hearing from Austin Lambert, a distinguished Parkside alumnus who graduated in 2017 and is heading to Rice University in Houston, Texas, this fall. In his inspiring speech, Austin shared memories from his time at Parkside and offered valuable advice to our newest graduates.
The following is the full transcript of Austin’s speech:
Hello Ms. Miller, Ms. Thorne, teachers, specialists, parents, and graduates. My name is Austin Lambert, and I am a proud Parkside alum. I graduated in 2017 and am headed to Rice University in Houston, Texas, in the fall. I want to start off by congratulating you on this wonderful achievement. I recall being in your position seven years ago. Wearing a shiny red gown, emblematic of the red doors that welcome students every morning, I remember feeling a variety of emotions during this time: proud that I graduated, sad to be leaving my friends, teachers, and specialists, nervous about moving to a different environment, and excited to be meeting new people. But if Parkside taught me anything, it taught me to be flexible.
Looking back at my time at Parkside, I can speak to the qualities that make this school so special to me. The support I received provided a solid foundation that allowed me to tackle my challenges. I recall my first assembly and how scared I was to go on stage. Luckily, Ms. Miller offered her support, and I sat on her lap during the performance. However, through the encouragement and Parkside’s toolbox, I was able to overcome this fear and perform in the next assembly and all future ones until I was one of the leads in the 5th-grade play.
I was grateful to give back to Parkside when I assisted at summer camp last year. It was heartwarming to see some familiar faces like Mr. Cruz, Mr. Jay, Mr. Alston, Mr. Vargas, and Ms. Frank. The culture of care that impacted me so deeply was as alive as ever. This was evident as they recognized each student’s individuality and strengths. When I wanted to learn cursive, OT found some books and helped me practice until I completed my assignments with it. I do confess that once I was told to cut down on the cursive, as its intricate patterns were time-consuming, but every now and then I return to this skill.
I have some advice for you as you head to middle school: it could be an adjustment at first, and there might be some challenges, but rest assured Parkside gave you a foundation to take on this adventure. If you are able to use the strategies Parkside taught, like taking a deep breath when overwhelmed, and developing new ones, you will be better equipped to deal with this transition and others in the future. Best of luck in middle school.
