By Reika Kijima
Class of 2012

On a hot spring evening last week, OVS senior Jack Marcus looked out across the gathering of eighth graders and Lower Campus alumni at the 17th annual Pons Dinner and talked about how OVS has shaped his life.

Jack, who attended the Lower Campus from kindergarten to eighth grade, told the gathering that OVS was essential to his growth as a student and a person.

“Tonight is also a goodbye for me – this is the last Pons Dinner that I am able to attend,” he told the gathering.

“I credit my time at OVS with shaping who I am today and with leading me to the choices I have made up to this point,” he added. “At OVS, in one year a student can do more things than many people do in all their school years, including college.”

Held annually in May, Pons Dinner allows Lower Campus graduates to connect with current eighth-graders about their shared OVS experiences.

The word “Pons” comes from the Latin word for ”bridge,” and the purpose of the gathering is to create a link from class to class, enabling the younger students to learn from the experiences of those who have already graduated, and the older students to remember where they’ve been.

At the gathering, alums thumbed through their eighth grade yearbooks, giggling about how much they had changed over the years.

Eighth grade class president Keller Mochel gave the welcoming address and Lower Campus graduate Art Gutierrez, L’ 95, served as the keynote speaker.

Lower Campus Headmaster Andy Hamilton said the annual event provides an excellent opportunity for the current eighth graders see old friends and gain some insight into the next stage of their lives.

 “It’s also a great opportunity for the high school students to come back and see their teachers and reconnect with old friends and connect with the future high school students,” Mr. Hamilton said.

One of the highlights of the dinner was Jack’s speech to eighth-graders.

“I wish you all the best of luck, and I urge you to branch out and do something you never would have dreamed of doing,” Jack said.

Afterward, Jack said he enjoyed speaking, although he was plenty nervous about his part.

 “It was a good way to have closure winding down to the end of the year,” he said. “It was my way to say goodbye to Lower Campus and my way to prepare to say goodbye to Upper Campus.”

To see photos from Pons, visit the website Media Gallery and click on the 2012 May gallery.