The Adventures Yet To Come

Pin Ceremony is one of the first time-honored traditions that a class celebrates together at Marlborough. On May 26, the Class of 2029 gathered in Caswell Hall, alongside parents, guardians, and staculty members, to mark their final moments as Middle School students and celebrate the beginning of their Upper School journey.

“Pin Ceremony is one of Marlborough’s oldest traditions,” Head of Middle School Dr. Sean Fitts shared in his opening remarks. “This ceremony marks the end of one journey and the beginning of another. At the end of this ceremony, the Class of 2029 will officially be considered Upper School students.”

At the heart of the ceremony is the pin: a commemorative pin with Marlborough’s crest engraved on it, presented to each student on a braided lanyard lovingly hand-assembled by their parents and guardians in the class colors revealed at the Class of 2029’s Colors and Song Ceremony earlier this year. As each student’s name was called, they crossed the stage to receive their pin from Head of School Jennifer Ciccarelli, symbolically draped in their class colors, stepping forward into Upper School. 

The ceremony included reflections from members of the 9th Grade class, beginning with Middle School Representative Kensington R. ’29, who spoke to the remarkable growth of their class: “[On the first day of 7th Grade], 77 girls hopped on the bus or in their cars to arrive at the gates of Rossmore,” she shared. “Now the class of ’29 is a family of 100—and it honestly doesn’t feel like anything new was added, but rather a missing piece was found.” 

For Mia L. ’29, the ceremony carried a meaning that stretched well beyond a single evening. “Although everyone in this grade has different talents, whether it be theatre, sports, robotics or something completely different, the 137-year-old tradition of Pin Ceremony reminds us that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves; we are a part of a community, and together, we will carry on legacy set by the Marlborough generations before us.”

Phylicia Q. ’29 spoke to the symbolism of the transition itself. “Pin Ceremony is about appreciating the past and embracing the future,” she said. “We retire our gray skirts as a symbol of the first half of our Marlborough journey and all the wonderful memories we made and friendships we’ve built. But we also look forward to the future, the relationships and adventures yet to come.”

Of their time together and the days ahead, Class President Ella R. ’29 shared: “Something that I have learned about Marlborough is the lifelong connections that this community fosters. It builds friendships that show up for each other when they need each other most. What will carry us through isn’t just hard work—it’s each other. It’s choosing to lean in when someone is struggling instead of looking away. It’s the kind of community that Marlborough asks us to build. And that we already have.”

As the last name was called and the final pin was placed, the Class of 2029 stepped into Upper School together, carrying with them the bond they had formed and will continue to strengthen. Welcome to the Upper School, Class of 2029!