Every year all the eighth graders participate in a very special event that invites their parents, grandparents, friends, and teachers to watch a ceremony to signal then move up to high school. As this is one of the last events that wraps up the year, many people get excited and happy for a new adventure. The dean of students, Mr. Crisafi, said, “Enjoy this moment; enjoy the fact that you are leaving, not just his campus but symbolize leaving a part of your life.” The eighth graders are not just leaving the middle school and going up to the high school but leaving a life they knew at the middle school. The ceremony consists of a speech by Mr. Faus introducing the class of 2028, a video that the JWEB team put together, an invocation speech by a chosen kid that the middle school teachers picked, a speech by Mr. Hagy, head of Benjamin school and Mr. Carr, head of the upper school, a special senior speaker, along with a speech by the class president, and the kids giving a handshake to Mr. Hagy and Mr. Carr’s singling the movement up to high school. The highlight of the event for the kids is receiving their Handshake from the heads of schools and the experience of walking the stage which they would be doing in four years as they graduate from high school. One of the speakers, Student Council President Isabella Anthon, said, “I wrote my speech about how our class has grown since we were sixth graders”. 

     The invocation speech is a speech given by a chosen kid that the middle school teacher chooses and talks about middle school life and the changes middle schoolers face. The idea is that the eighth graders are leaving childish things to join the upper schoolers in the adventure of a lifetime. Ilia Peck was chosen to give this wonderful speech at the moving-up ceremony. She said “ I practiced in front of my dad and went to Mrs. Devine to show my progress” and learned the true meaning of the invocation speech with practice. Mr. Carr, the head of upper school also made a speech welcoming the eighth graders to high school and to remember every moment they have and to take advantage of everything the Benjamin school has to offer. The journey of middle school is a crazy adventure and as 8th graders, this is the biggest event they take part in and to show they are leaders of the middle school campus. In the wise words of Mr. Crisafi, Dean of Students, said: “Be true to yourself in high school”.