There are many honors and accolades that students can earn here at the Upper School. On April 14, 20 members of the class of 2022 were inducted into the Benjamin School’s chapter of the Cum Laude Society. Inductees needed to be in the top 20% of their class to qualify for the honor.

The ceremony opened with remarks from Head of Upper School Mr. Fletcher Carr. Again, Mr. Carr referenced English teacher and The Pharcyde’s advisor Dr. John Peruggia, stating that, “While it is wonderful to recognize the academic accomplishments of this year’s inductees, I hope you all know that success, even in the classroom, doesn’t even happen in a vacuum.”

Inductees were each called up individually, and were given a ribbon to wear at commencement. Then, they each took a picture with Mr. Faus, Mr. Carr, and Mrs. Guzman.

When asked about the importance of having Cum Laude at Benjamin, Mr. Carr noted that it is the right way to honor the seniors and their academic accomplishments. 

“It’s a really nice honor for them. I think it’s an outside seal of approval. To be able to have a chapter here at Benjamin is a really nice statement, especially one that comes from a long-standing institution,” said Mr. Carr.

Mrs. Guzman thinks that Cum Laude is a great way to honor the students and thinks that it’s important to make sure the students are appreciated.

“I think that we have students who work so hard, for so long, here at Benjamin. Cum Laude gives us a chance to recognize the exceptional students who come through our school,” said Mrs. Guzman.

Senior Tyler Taplett is proud to be inducted into Cum Laude, and cites all of the hard work he had to do along the way, as it is a rewarding feeling for him.

“I guess it’s somewhat satisfying, finally getting recognized for what I’ve worked so hard to do. I’ve countlessly put in the hours to study, to improve my grades, and to be at the top of my class,” said Taplett.

Taplett was also satisfied with the ceremony and felt that Benjamin did a nice job overall of honoring the students due to their consistent hardwork and dillegence over their time in high school so that they could ultimately be inducted into Cum Laude.

“It was good. It went as it should have gone, making sure everyone had the opportunity to be honored. It was really nice to hear all of the things they said about us. Being at the top of the class is something that is really hard to do. I thought Mr. Carr, Mr. Faus, and Mrs. Guzman’s words were all very kind and appropriate considering the circumstances.

Neha Goel, mother of senior Tvisha Goel, was pleased with how the ceremony went and is very proud of her daughter for her induction into the prestigous society.

“It was a beautiful ceremony. It feels like we are back to normal after the pandemic that was here for two-and-a-half years. I’m very proud of her [Tvisha] and the work that she put in to get into this society,” said Goel. 

As things are beginning to return to normalcy, the Benjamin administration and Cum Laude Society overall did a nice job of honoring the inductees in a memorable and honorable manner. From the compassion and recognition that was given on stage to the tasty treats given after the ceremony, the inductees should feel appreciated for their contributions to The Benjamin School over these last four years.