We wish the class of 2022 a bright and successful future as they step into the next chapter of their lives. The 2022 Graduation Ceremony was a heartwarming and captivating event. Enjoy the pictures and quotes from some parent and student speeches.
G. Murphy:
I’ve been a Castelli parent for over 10 years but I think the defining moment for me was the start of the Covid pandemic. In March 2020, everything came to a stop and my son came home and thought “I’m on holiday for the next month!” Yet, the day after, Castelli was already operating… and it seemed so easy and not just for the infrastructure, sometimes I’d listen in on the lessons, the teachers knew how to teach online, they made it look easy and … it wasn’t easy … but they made it look easy with their passion, their dedication, their professionalism.
The teachers at Castelli are determined to make your educational experience the best experience possible, at 360° … and that even included taking risks like taking you to New York and Boston for the Harvard Model United Nations during these pandemic times.
A. Ferri:
Over the years we have seen first hand how the teaching of languages, mathematics, art, music and all other subjects was done in a truly original way, not only on school books but by making intelligent use of the parallel world in this school. The fairy-tale world immersed in nature: the vegetable garden, the grape and olive harvests, yoga, P.E. lessons in the rain, the experiments, the music… all truly incredible. Together with this teaching method, we noticed how important values such as education, respect, solidarity and passion for one’s work were at Castelli International.
F. Squarcia:
You have laid solid foundations for our children to face the future and new challenges. You have helped them discover their talents, you have encouraged them to overcome their shortcomings. Tommaso’s and Andrea’s commitment and enthusiasm are proof of this. I would like to thank the professors who, in their role as educators, have accompanied my children with passion and dedication, for the work done with love and a lot of effort.
Elam:
I have learned a great deal from my professors both inside and out of class, more than ever. I have been to two other schools here in Italy and neither of them have what Castelli has. During my first days here I noticed many things and when I thought of Castelli International School, one thing I noticed was how well everyone knew each other, students and teachers both. Another thing was that most schools aren’t as organized as Castelli is.
Claudia:
I can still remember the first day I came to Castelli International. I didn’t speak English very well and I was so nervous. But everybody was very welcoming and kind, especially the girls who really helped me from the beginning.
I came from a public school, which is a complete other universe so different from this school. Here everything is different, everyday I had a new experience I would have never imagined living at my old school. Going gardening, having lessons outside, preparing events, all the experiments we did, the picnics…
We have so many good memories about the trips, the parties, the events, like Music Under the Stars, Sports Day…
Looking back, I feel like I’ve accomplished so much. I can now understand and speak in English perfectly… or almost.
So I would like to thank all the teachers for everything they taught me and for making my last two years of middle school amazing. I can also say that they helped me grow, and become more mature and responsible.
Mateo:
These 4 years at Castelli have been great. I owe a lot to Ms P, with her dirty gloves, her crazy hair, her mud-splattered apron. I remember her trying to control us, but the relationship wasn’t a normal student-teacher one, there was actually a lot of care and love between us and Ms. P. We spent our Wednesday mornings with her, doing things which no other schools do: building dog-shelters, creating bamboo structures and building a compost.
I have another experience that I can truthfully say I enjoyed, our trip to America, and I am sure I will remember those late nights watching NBA with Esty, those sleepy mornings going down with my friends to Dunkin Donuts, those long Harvard-MUN conference meetings trying to wait until the end, to talk to the people I met.
Alban:
Castelli International prepared me for the future in ways I will never forget. I made soooo many mistakes. However, this school made me grow the best in me. It opened my eyes to the world and its different perspectives. It showed me what I truly like and what I want to become.
Keane:
I remember when I first came here, everything felt so different. This change was most noticeable in school. Everyone here had very different values from my friends at home, but I came to understand those values. I mean, I would’ve never cared for football teams before this. This school is quite different from the one I came from. For one, the food’s better. Also, picking grapes and olives, and building shelters for dogs and such is something that I would’ve never experienced back in the U.S.A. I also feel that this school does a better job academically in teaching students. I can’t say that I am fluent in Italian or French, but I know more now than I would’ve ever known in America. As one could imagine, integrating into this new environment wasn’t easy, so that being said, I would like to thank my friends for teaching me the ropes and the teachers for having enough patience to deal with our class which allowed me to learn and further my education.
Tommaso:
I don’t have a great memory but if I need to recall one of the things that has intrigued me most, besides all the experiments and trips that we did, it was Mindfulness. I still remember, when in fourth grade we would go on Mindfulness Walks around the school, admiring the nature around us and understanding how lucky we were to go to this school. Mindfulness was a way for me to cope with my stress, being a very anxious person myself.