Mayfield Senior School Graduates 74 Young Women

In a ceremony honoring its 74 graduating seniors, recognizing students of special distinction and featuring the Leader of the African Province of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, Sr. Cecilia Nya of Lagos, Nigeria, as its commencement speaker, Mayfield Senior School graduated the Class of 2006 on Sunday, June 4. Per tradition, the graduates wore white dresses and carried bouquets of long stemmed red roses as they processed across the school’s North Lawn to an outdoor stage.

Sr. Cecilia urged the Class of 2006 to be worthy ambassadors of their alma mater by living out the Holy Child ideals. She encouraged the graduates to consider coming to teach in Africa, where only 24% of young girls have an opportunity to attend secondary school. She further inspired the graduates with this quote, “If you educate a man, you educate an individual. If you educate a woman, you educate a nation.” By this she explained that each young woman in Africa who is able to go on with her education past elementary school is a living lesson to the community ? change will come when greater numbers of educated women assume significant leadership roles.

In addition to Nya, speakers included Head of School Rita Curasi McBride, and Senior Class President Ashley Alvarez. Dr. Terre Osterkamp, Chair of the Board of Trustees, presented the graduates with their diplomas.

La Cañada resident Ashleigh Sun was among the graduates honored at Sunday’s commencement. While at Mayfield, Sun served as Student Council secretary during her senior year, was a member of the Dance Conservatory and Campus Ministry Team, and supported the Admissions office as a student representative to prospective students. She also served as Mayfield’s Student Ambassador to the 2006 Tournament of Roses. Sun was active on the stage at St. Francis High School, appearing in Romeo and Juliet, Love’s Labors Lost, Richard III, South Pacific and Oliver. She will matriculate to Santa Clara University.

Mayfield is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women, known for its academic excellence, classically oriented Conservatory for the Arts and outstanding athletic program. lyo-mayfieldgrad.1.ashl-BPhotoInfoG11RVAU520060615j0rr2cnc(LA)MAYFIELD GRAD ? Ashleigh Sun of La Cañada graduated on June 4.