GSA graduates 76 at June 13 commencement

BLUE HILL—Fair skies, seasonal temperatures, hugs, tears of joy, cheers and optimism set the tone for the George Stevens Academy Class of 2021 commencement.

- JEFFREY B. ROTH

“Today is a fine and beautiful day in a young person’s life,” Timothy Seeley, GSA head of school, said. “There are two terms used for today’s ceremony—graduation and commencement. The word graduation looks backward as a word and emphasizes that one is finished. Commencement, on the other hand, looks forward...today marks the beginning as much as an ending, and for this reason I prefer the term.”

An audience of about 300 applauded the 76 graduates—the majority from the Blue Hill Peninsula, along with several international students—as they mounted the front steps of the historic GSA building on Union Street. The event was also live-streamed.

After thanking Hancock County sheriff deputies for blocking traffic, Seeley said that GSA’s board of trustees has been working hard to secure a “sustainable financial future” for the private nonprofit high school that accepts tuition students from sending towns in the area. He also thanked area voters for approving the school’s request for a $1,000 per student tuition increase for the 2021-22 school year.