Former Falls Church City Public Schools’ head of secondary schools Valerie Hardy was the keynote speaker at Falls Church’s Meridian High School commencement this Tuesday on a warm and breezy morning before a large contingent of family and friends and 210 graduates on the school’s main athletic field.

Hardy, who was principal at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School from 2017 until being named head of secondary schools in 2021 until her departure for Prince William Schools in 2023, hailed the 2024 graduating class, who entered high school at the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and endured virtual, remote and hybrid learning options throughout, for its adaptability and resilience.

Having been with the class from the time it was in middle school in 2017, she said she came to know it for “standing for what is right and doing something about it,” holding peaceful rallies on local and national issues, speaking before School Board meetings and more. “You have a clarity of judgment amid hard lessons learned” of being educated during the pandemic, she said.

“You are determined to leave the world a better place than you found it, and as you grow in your advocacy, work from a place of kindness,” she offered, “even if you feel that kindness was not afforded you. Be kind, be brave, be you.”

“Be your authentic self,” she admonished, “You are ready to become who you are,” and she closed by playing a part of the Golden Globe winning recording from 2017, her first year in Falls Church, entitled, “This is me.”

Falls Church Schools Superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan urged the students to “Let love be your guide.”
The pleasant, light breeze made it hard for some graduates to keep their caps on without holding them down and when they threw them all into the air at the moment Associate Principal Peter Laub declared them officially graduated, many of the caps flew on the gusts to their right.

Meridian’s amazing music programs highlighted the ceremony, beginning with selections from the school’s jazz ensemble, under the direction of Mary Jo West and led by former student Tyler Waters, including Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance march.

“The Star Spangled Banner” was sung by the school’s chamber ensemble under director Jamie Sample. A speech of remembrance was delivered by Pawanart Songsirisrcha ahead of Principal Laub’s opening remarks and a welcome by Tilden Gale, senior class vice president, and the presentation of awards by Dr. Noonan.

Noonan noted that this class was in the fifth grade when he first came to the Falls Church system and first met them. “This is a special group, an amazing and powerful group,” he said. “With great power comes great responsibility,” he added, “Be humble servants in your community. Let love be your guide. Be transcendent.”

When he asked the graduates who were scholar award winners and valedictory scholars (having achieved grade point averages of 4.0 or above), virtually everyone stood, and the same was true for all the International Baccalaureate students.

“Be inquirers, knowledge seekers, principled, risk takers, balanced and reflective,” he urged. “Be citizens of the world and global thinkers.”

The Meridian Valedictory Scholar speech was delivered by Katherine Anderson and following that the school’s jazz ensemble, the group that played at Carnegie Hall this spring, performed “Two Seconds to Midnight,” with Alessio Azimipour, alto sax, Case Dimock, trombone, Jack Kreul, guitar, and Carlos Ortiz, trumpet.

The class gift was presented by Katherine Holt, senior class treasurer, and the Meridian High chamber singers then sang “In My Life” by The Beatles.

Susan Rotherham delivered the valedictory scholar speech and Caroline Carmody, senior class secretary, introduced Ms. Hardy, the main commencement speaker.

The diplomas were then handed out by Laub, Matt Sowers, director of counseling, Valerie Chesley, counselor, Lindsey Jacobs, counselor, Brad McAdam, counselor, Dana Quirine, counselor, William Snyder, class sponsor, and Kenny George, class sponsor.

After that, senior class president Grayson Kusic spoke and Laub announced the class had been graduating, prompting the windy cap-tossing. Finally, all the new graduates got the chance to ring the bell, as per tradition, that was placed at the rear of the group as they lined out.