As this year’s Valedictorian, Sarah Moon ’19 will speak at graduation, President Rick Commons announced at the annual Cum Laude Inductee Ceremony on May 20 in Rugby Theater.

Moon was one of 59 seniors inducted into the National Cum Laude Society. The honored students have attained grade point averages in the top twenty percent of their graduating class.

Head of Upper School Laura Ross began the ceremony by commending students for their academic achievements and offering advice for life after high school.

Cum Laude Chapter President and history teacher Lilas Lane spoke about the importance of striking a balance between intellectual ambition and personal character.

“There is nothing wrong with ambition and external success, but it needs to be grounded in character, ” Lane said. “The development of character is not easy: you have to develop it and be willing to put in the work. And rather than asking ‘What do I want from life?’, you must ask “What does life want from me?’”

Lane also urged students to seek opportunities in order to better the world around them. She dedicated her speech to the late Eric Zwemer and Elizabeth Resnick.

Students were proud to be recognized for their academic achievements, inductee Sebastian Ko ’19 said. Ko said the ceremony validated his hard work throughout his years at the Upper School.

“Especially with the fact that [the graduating class] is one of the strongest in school history, I’m really proud of having my hard work pay off,” Ko said. “I also liked seeing my peers get the recognition they deserved.”