On May 18, Riordan’s Class of 2024 will bid farewell on Mayer Family Field, marking a historic moment as the first class toexperience the school as a coed institution for all four years.
This graduating class brings with it many milestones, several of which are attributed to the achievements of female students.
Naomi Lin ’24, the first female editor-in-chief of The Crusader, stated, “I believe my role has set a precedent, signifying the full integration of girls into the student body.”
She added, “I’m hoping that younger female students don’t shy away from leadership opportunities, even if it feels daunting. Your voice, potential, and talent will unveil themselves in a leadership position and ultimately prove invaluable to the school community; you just have to take the first step.”
As Riordan seniors await their moment to cross the stage, they look back on their years at the school, filled with both bittersweet memories and invaluable lessons learned.
Alyssa Ng ’24 stated, “I would say some of my most cherished memories I made at Riordan was when I was in theater andperformed The Sound of Music and Fiddler on the Roof. Both of the productions made me fall in love with performing.”
She added, “Some of my other favorites were the family spirit day and the first day of the Crusader Games in 2024. These were some of the most fun moments I had at Riordan because of how much I laughed with my friends.”
Salutatorian Will Parker will deliver his address at the Baccalaureate Mass, which takes place on May 17, beginning at 5:00 p.m. The commencement ceremony, running from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm, will be highlighted by speeches from valedictorian Breanna Dizon ’24, Vice President of Academics Nate Simon ’99, and President Tim Reardon.
Reflecting on being named Valedictorian, Dizon stated, “It is an incredible honor and it means a lot to me because it serves as recognition of four years of hard work and dedication. Representing my class at graduation is a privilege that I’m both excited and nervous to share with everyone.”
Parker said, “It’s a real honor to be recognized as salutatorian. It’s fair to say I was an active leader during my time at Riordan, so being given an official title for recognition is very meaningful to me.”
He added, “All the little moments from high school are what impacted me and made the real memories. . . Stretching with the team in the San Francisco faux summer weather in September out on the track after going for a run.”
A unique aspect of Riordan’s graduation ceremony is that it is held outside on the field, marking this as the fourth consecutive year since the switch from Lindland Theater to the field.
Since the transition, Brian Kelly, Vice Principal of Student Affairs, said, “Since it’s outside, we’re a little looser. I’m okay withbeing a little looser, but we just get ahead of everybody and just make sure emails and announcements and expectations are addressed.”
He added, “It’s an interesting and fun day. If you can’t come, because you have to be ticketed in, we do stream it.”
The Riordan faculty and staff eagerly anticipate the upcoming ceremony and are filled with immense pride for the achievements of the Class of 2024.
Reflecting on the graduates’ achievements, Reardon stated, “It’s always bittersweet. I love this class, and I’ll miss all the and I’ll miss all the personalities, but I’m really proud of their accomplishments, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they do in the next chapter.”
