Chosen by the students, Upper School Visual Arts teacher Stacy Utley delivered a powerful and heartfelt speech at Senior Night, which was received with a standing ovation.
"Good evening, everyone, and especially a good evening to the Class of 2025. Thank you for the privilege of allowing me to stand before you this evening, and thank you for voting me for this moment. It means more than you probably know.
I’ve been challenged by two sets of twins…Ellen and Izzy Roberts said that I need to make sure that I am good and try to make them cry. While my own twins, James and Tiffany, told me not to cry. I also hear there are some bets amongst faculty as to when I will cry. So, I will try my best not to let anyone down, and may the odds be in your favor.
But I will be honest that this is hard for all the obvious reasons. First, for my wife and I… two of the loves of our lives, James and Tiffany will be walking with you. Secondly, it is because of you. Many of you I have known for a long time. So, this is very bittersweet to say goodbye to my kids…and my kids.
I’ve had the privilege of knowing many of you since you were in the fifth grade. I still remember when I joined Country Day in 2017 and receiving the roster for my first advisory of 5th graders. I remember reading the names…Reagan Harris, William Harrison, Caroline Hart, Raghav Mani, Hudson Shulze, Tyler Shortridge, Zaria Reid, Lindsay Toppin, and Zyon Wallace. I’ve watched you grow—literally and figuratively—from wide-eyed Middle School students with big backpacks and bigger personalities, to confident seniors ready to take on the world. And whether you were in my advisory or any one of the students in my art class on Bissell or Cannon campus. My IB students. Whether it was on school trips, BSU and DAF meetings, or you were just hanging out in my office in the Belk Library when I was a dean…along the way, we have shared lessons, jokes, and countless memories. You've been my students, my collaborators, and more than once, my teachers.
I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to say to you this evening. I thought about our years together, the memories we’ve made, and all the growth we’ve shared.
And here’s something you might not know: when I first met you, I was pivoting in my career.
I had just stepped into independent school education, unsure of where it would lead or what kind of teacher I would become. But then I met you. You gave me a reason to root myself in this work, to keep showing up, and to grow right alongside you—even as our class evolved, with some students leaving and others joining, or returning over the years.
In many ways, your journey shaped mine, just as much as I hope I’ve had a part in shaping yours.
So this evening, I want to talk about the Power of Pivoting—because it’s something all of us will do. A life skill that we will exercise over and over again.
And let’s be honest—if we’ve learned anything from the millions of lessons life handed us during COVID, it’s how to pivot. Plans change. Expectations shift. The ground beneath us doesn’t always feel steady. One thing we can count on in life is change—whether it comes by choice or by circumstance.
Right now, you're preparing to step into a brand-new chapter. Some of you are headed to your first-choice college. Others are pursuing different paths that are equally exciting and full of potential. No matter what your plan looks like right now, know this: it’s okay if it changes.
To pivot means to shift direction, without losing your center. It’s what athletes do when the play changes. As an artist, it’s what we do when the first sketch doesn’t feel quite right. And it’s what we all do when life throws us a curveball—and yes, life will throw you curveballs.
You’ll change majors. You’ll switch jobs. You’ll have relationships that redefine themselves. You’ll make plans...and then remake them. And that’s not failure. That’s wisdom in motion.
Pivoting takes courage, yes. But it also takes clarity—to know what matters enough to stay grounded while the world around you shifts. And I’ve watched each of you on so many occasions develop that clarity, piece by piece, year by year.
I’ve seen it when you changed your mind about what you wanted to study, or found a new passion you didn’t expect. I’ve seen it when you struggled through something, only to come out stronger. And I’ve seen it in how you've supported one another, knowing that sometimes the best thing you can do is show up for someone else's pivot.
So, if there’s one message, I hope you carry with you beyond this day, it’s this:
Don’t be afraid to pivot. Don’t be afraid to let go of one version of the future to reach for another that fits and serves you better. You are not locked into any one path. You are allowed to change, to adapt, to reinvent.
Because no matter where life takes you next, the person who walked through these school doors of Country Day—the person you were, the person you’ve become, and the person you’re still discovering—that person is always with you.
Stay rooted in who you are. Stay curious. Stay open.
And when the moment comes—pivot with purpose.
I want to thank you for allowing me to speak to you now as your former teacher. But I would like to ask if you will indulge me for just a moment longer, and allow me to speak to you…as a dad…
On Friday, we will gather again. To celebrate you one last time. And once it is all said and done, your name has been called…You will be outside celebrating, hugging one another, taking pictures, and talking about what plans await.
You may look over for a moment and see your mom, dad, or the person who has had the responsibility of raising you, who will be staring at you. There may be an expression of joy on their face, there may be sadness, there may be hope and optimism, or there may be no expression at all. They may be, just looking at you. Don’t do the typical “teenage” thing to do and ask, “What is wrong?” I can assure you that there won’t be anything wrong at that moment.
For in that moment, we will be replaying in our minds the last 17, 18, or 19 years of your life. Every challenge or obstacle that you have overcome, every step literally and figuratively that we have had the privilege of being a part of.
In that moment, we will be replaying our role in your life as a parent. You see, there is no book on how to raise you. We do it with what we know and our own life experiences. We do it with the choices that we are afforded. We do the best we can. We raise you out of our love, our hope and dreams, our fears, and the lessons that we had to learn from mistakes that we pray you don’t know about or don’t judge us about as you become adults.
Despite the expression you see…In that moment, there will be immense joy and a bit of heartbreak. Not in a bad way, but that heartbreak that comes with being a parent and watching your children grow up.
There is a TV show that my family and I watch every now and then. Perhaps you’ve watched it…it’s called "Modern Family." And in one particular episode, the grandfather is talking to his family, and he captures perfectly what it means to watch your children grow up and how we must pivot along the way. He says:
"You know, it’s…the thing about babies, you…You fall in love with a baby with the cutest little fat folds, and then…bam…they’re gone. But it’s okay, because in its place is this…toddler with the greatest laugh on Earth. And then one day, the toddler’s gone, and in its place, a little kid that asks the most interesting questions you’ve ever heard. And this keeps going on like that, but you never get the chance to miss any of them, ‘cause there’s always a new kid to take the place of the old. Until they grow up. And then…in a moment, ALL THOSE KIDS YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH—WALK OUT THE DOOR AT THE SAME TIME."
In that moment, know that is what we will be thinking of. Know that in that moment and the moments moving forward, no matter what we have all gone through…that YOU have been the greatest joy of our life. Know that in that moment and moments moving forward that we love you and we are proud of you. Not because of the school you have gotten into and not because you are a Country Day graduate or Country Day Ready…but simply because you are you. That has always been more than enough.
Congratulations, Class of 2025. I’m endlessly proud of you, and thank you for allowing me to speak to you this evening."