Congratulations to Coast Episcopal School’s Class of 2025

SIXTH GRADERS HONORED AT COMMENCEMENT SERVICE

Coast Episcopal School’s 2025 Commencement Services were filled with joyful memories, well-earned honors, and words of wisdom.  Held Tuesday evening, May 21,at Trinity Episcopal Church in Pass Christian, the fourteen students of the 2024-25 sixth grade class were celebrated by more than 100 family, friends, faculty and staff  in attendance.

Prior to the graduation ceremony, each student shared memories of their time at the Long Beach independent school, referencing experiences that speak to the school’s tradition of being an experienced-based, academic community:  the 6th grade’s week-long Appalachian Trip; the 5th and 6th grades’ annual Camp McDowell Trip; conquering the concept of morphemes (the smallest unit of language that has its own meaning); and their class’s recent musical theater production of Alice in Wonderland. Several students mentioned life lessons learned at CES:  “There’s always tomorrow”; “If you give kindness, kindness will be given back to you”; “It’s ok to struggle to grow”; CES teachers “don’t teach and support us because they have to, but because they want us to be the best version of ourselves.” One student gave a special thank you to School Custodian Monica Blackwell, “Miss Monica is the special spice to the gumbo that holds us all together.”

Head of School Jake Winter presided over the ceremonies and, in his opening comments, quoted from a 1967 CES Spring Festival Program he found in his office that outlined the elementary school’s philosophy as stated by its Founder, the Reverend Charles Johnson of Christ Episcopal Church in 1950: “The founder’s belief that most of life’s behavior patterns are drawn during these impressionable, formative years.  It is during these years that character traits, study habits, attitudes, and basic skills are molded.  The school believes that each child, created as they are in God’s image, is endowed with certain spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical capabilities, and that it is the teachers’ duty to develop the capabilities of each child to the fullest.”

Winter continued, “I believe that view of education, 58 years later, is still authentic to who we are and what we do. And I believe our founder, Father J, would have been very pleased with this class and the teachers that taught them. The students we celebrate tonight lived into those ideals. They are full of energy.  They put their hearts into everything they do.”

“We asked them to be excellent students and they were.  We also asked them time and time again to work together and complete tasks that might have taken them out of their comfort zone.  Whether it was hiking, public speaking, building robots, singing in a musical, or even athletics, these students were never afraid of new challenges.  Sometimes they struggled with them, but no matter what, they were growing from everything they did.”  

Winter also lauded the families of the Class of 2025, “None of those experiences would have been possible without the families of the class of 2025. They have served as CES faculty, basketball coaches, robotics coaches, room parents, PTO members, toast to the coast volunteers, and board members.” 

“My job makes it my responsibility to make sure CES students have the best possible elementary school experience.  The families of this class shared that responsibility, voluntarily, every step of the way.  Families of the Class of 2025: Coast Episcopal School is better off because of your time here.”

Winter concluded his address by urging the students to never stop learning: “The world is an amazing place if you stay curious and keep learning”; to go outside as often as they can: “I think the world would be a much happier place if we made grown ups go outside for 25 minutes every day to play”; and to put their heart into everything they do: “Over the last few years I’ve seen all of you do amazing things when you put your heart into them.”

Victor Vorrath, son of Jon and Emily Vorrath, received the coveted Coast Episcopal School Character Cup, as a result of secret votes by the 6th Grade and all faculty.

Windsor Mayfield, daughter of Emory and Autumn Mayfield, was presented with the Seidule Award for achieving the highest academic average by Elementary Principal Kim McWilliams

 

Two members of the Class of 2025 were honored recipients of the CES Character Cup and the Seidule Award. 

Sixth grade teacher Jessica Greene presented Victor Vorrath, son of Jon and Emily Vorrath, with the Character Cup for “consistently demonstrating specific traits, not only in class, but in all parts of his daily life. He exhibits respect, kindness, honesty, integrity, and is just someone that everyone gets along with.” The award is secretly voted upon each year by the sixth grade and all faculty.

Windsor Mayfield, daughter of Emory and Autumn Mayfield, received the Seidule Award for achieving the highest academic average, presented by Elementary Principal Kim McWilliams. In place since 2010, the award is named in honor of Jim Seidule, who was CES Interim Head of School in the years immediately following Hurricane Katrina.  

In addition to the students named above, Head of School Winter presented diplomas to: Wyatt Benvenutti, Michael Cayson, Elliot Foster, Jaxon Genin, Jaiden Herbert, RJ Knight, Christopher Liese,  Noemie Miller, Luken Murphy, Eden Otto, Jackson Saucier, and Ethan Weatherly.

Five of the graduating students became Coast Episcopal School mates at the age of three, and they received an Alpha-Omega cross from their Preschool teacher, Yvonne Williams.  Now retired, Mrs.Yvonne’s daughter, Marcie Power, now serves as the school’s Early Childhood Director.  Both educators shared in the presentation, with Miss Yvonne whispering a special memory into the ear of each student as she placed the cross around the necks of Elliot Foster, RJ Knight, Noemi Miller, Luken Murphy, and Ethan Weatherly. 

In addition to recognizing the accomplishments of the graduates, Winter presented a Head of School Award to a valued member of the CES Faculty, Summer Dorcik.  The award is not presented every year but at the discretion of the school’s leader, and the recipient of the honor is a closely-held secret until the time of the ceremony.  The 5th grade homeroom and math and science teacher for 5th and 6th grades has been teaching at CES since 2017.  She holds a BS in Marine Biology and a Master of Education, and she is revered by faculty and students for the enthusiasm, passion and ingenuity she brings to the classroom. Summer exemplifies the belief that a teacher’s duty is to develop the whole child—an idea championed by CES founder, Father J. This means meeting each student exactly where they are and supporting their growth in all areas. Over the past five years, Summer has embodied this philosophy, consistently nurturing her students’ academic, social, and emotional development with dedication and care.

Summer Dorcik, who is the 5th grade homeroom and math and science teacher was honored with the Head of School Award by Jake Winter

More than 100 family, friends, faculty and staff attended CES Commencement Services at Trinity Episcopal Church in Pass Christian.

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