Class of 2015 Commencement

Ced Moise of Orange, NJ, and Mohammed Bappe of Lansdowne, PA, had more in common than they might have thought when they both matriculated to Church Farm School (CFS) as 7th graders. Both sons of hardworking immigrants and recognized within their school districts as academically promising, they made their way to CFS in the hopes of creating better futures for themselves. On Saturday, June 6 at 10:30 a.m., they graduated with their futures well-laid out before them: Ced on his way to Princeton University via a full scholarship through QuestBridge, and Bappe heading to Swarthmore College as a Gates Millennium Scholar. Both programs connect bright, low-income students to top colleges.

Ced and Bappe’s stories are not unique to the Class of 2015, nor are they unique to the school. For the past five years, 100% of Church Farm School seniors have been accepted to four-year colleges and universities, many of them prestigious schools such as Boston College, Cornell University, MIT, NYU, UC-Berkeley and the University of Pennsylvania. Church Farm School’s mission is “preparing a diverse group of boys with academic ability and good character to lead productive and fulfilling lives by making a college preparatory education financially accessible.” Since 1918, the boarding and day school in Exton, PA, has been living up to this promise by providing significant scholarships to its student body, which hails from as close as West Chester and Narberth and as far as Korea.

The Class of 2015—comprised of 38 boys—submitted more than 700 college applications and was accepted to more than 100 different colleges with $2M+ in scholarships and grants awarded. Many of these young men come from failing or overpopulated school districts less conducive to thriving academically, athletically and socially. “We are so incredibly proud of the Class of 2015 and are certain that they are well-prepared for their future beyond Church Farm School—not just in mind, but in body and spirit, as well,” says Ned Sherrill, CFS Head of School.

View the full Commencement photo gallery here, and the YouTube video here!