Led by their form adviser, graduates of the Class of 2011 process down the hill to the commencement ceremony
"One tradition I never thought would mean as much to me as it did was the way we entered graduation. Walking with my class behind the faculty and bag pipes player is a moment I will never forget. It put into perspective this Hill idea of walking the paths that other Hill graduates walked for years." Samantha Comarnitsky ’03
Graduation day is a day Hill students never forget. Most students spend several years together forming life-long friendships and on this special day they come together for one last time as a class before embarking on the journey ahead of them. The day begins with Baccalaureate as the graduates, their families, friends, and faculty convene in the Alumni Memorial Chapel, during which the choir performes and the Headmaster offeres his address to the graduates. Following the service, the Quad becomes a meeting place where friends, families, and faculty members gather with the graduates to say farewell and take photographs.
Later, the graduates- young men wearing white slacks, Hill ties, and sixth form blazers; young women wearing white dresses and Hill scarves - line up behind faculty members as a traditional Scottish bagpipe player leads the procession into the Commencement ceremony.
In keeping with a great Hill tradition, at the end of the graduation ceremony the entire sixth form class jumps into the Dell, the small scenic pond on campus. They meet at the center fountain to embrace and cheer. This marks their “official” transition from Hill students to Hill alumni.