The Class of 2024
Castilleja Celebrates the Graduation of the Class of 2024, the “Eclipse Class”
Caps flew high in the air as 61 graduating seniors received their high school diplomas on June 1, 2024 on Castilleja’s iconic Circle.
Carrying bouquets of red roses, the graduating class was all smiles. This was no ordinary graduation: the Class of 2024 has long waited for this celebration, having missed their 8th Grade Promotion ceremony due to the COVID lockdowns.
“It has truly been a privilege and a pleasure to partner with you in leading Castilleja this year,” said Acting Head of School Kathy Layendecker, addressing the students, families, and faculty and staff gathered in the audience on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Ms. Layendecker called the graduating seniors an “Eclipse Class,” noting that the start of their 6th grade and the end of their senior year were punctuated by a solar eclipse. “Everyone here has watched you wait so long for this celebration, passing through more than just a couple of episodes of lightness and darkness, and we have come to realize that you are both unique and remarkable and you are also a bit magical,” Ms. Layendecker said. “There is something about you…something bigger than the sum of your parts. It’s something in the stars. Thank you, Class of 2024, for sharing your magic with us. ”
Esi Eggleston Bracey, the Chief Growth and Marketing Officer for Unilever and one of Forbes Top 50 Entrepreneurial CMOs in 2024, addressed the graduates as the Commencement Speaker.
Commencement Speaker Esi Eggleston Bracey, Chief Growth and Marketing Officer for Unilever, addresses the graduating class
Eggleston Bracey shared the principles that helped her succeed and lead, especially as she oversees marketing in over 190 countries around the world. She also talked about the importance of authenticity and of embracing her natural hair texture as she rose to the C-Suite level in corporate America.
“I realized by changing myself to fit someone else's idea of the norm, I was perpetuating the very barriers that made it harder for others like me to belong. So I said, enough and enough, and I re-embraced every part of my authentic self, starting with getting my natural hair back,” she said. “I had a whole new pep in my step, a quiet self-assurance unlike anything I've felt before.”
She spoke about her pioneering work to champion beauty inclusivity for more than 20 years. Eggleston Bracey is an architect of Dove’s CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Coalition to help eradicate hair discrimination through the CROWN Act legislation, which has made race-based hair discrimination illegal in 23 states and 50 municipalities. She has diversified the COVERGIRL brand through partnerships with Queen Latifah, Janelle Monáe, Pink, and Ellen DeGeneres.
“Everyone can make a difference. You just have to choose it,” said Eggleston Bracey, urging the new graduates to make an impact by fueling their energy through their passions, which she calls “Passion Power.” “As you soar into this next chapter, my biggest wish for you is to use the privilege of this beautiful education to author profoundly fulfilling lives of authentic expression, joy, and positive impact,” she added.
Esi Eggleston Bracey shared three key mantras with the Class of 2024. “Do you. It's your superpower. No one can do you better than you. Number two: stretch and flex by saying ‘yes’ when you're scared and ‘no’ when you're clear. Manage your energy, not just your time. And third, choose big problems to make a big difference.”
Also during the commencement ceremony, Senior Class President Reece Sharp recited a poem “Human Family” by Maya Angelou, which concluded with a message of unity to the resounding applause of the audience: “But we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”
Samantha Solomon, recipient of this year’s Castilleja Award, addressed her classmates from the podium, reflecting on some of the brightest moments during her time at Castilleja. “As a very shy, very quiet kid, I was inspired by the ways that my superheroes faced their fears, stood up for what was right, and took on the world’s greatest challenges,” said Solomon. “Despite my affinity for the supernatural, I have not taken risks, found confidence, and grown to be the person I am today because of fictional people with costumes and capes. I have become who I am because of your influence, because of the memories we’ve made, the days you’ve inspired me with your unique strengths, and the ways you’ve made me feel loved and supported. Class of 2024, you are my superheroes.”