About 140 Menlo School seniors graduated on Wednesday, June 9, on neighboring Menlo College's Cartan Field in Atherton.

During the ceremony, Head of School Than Healy said the school's 102nd graduating class "had a unique and difficult set of experiences" over the last 15 months, according to a school blog post. Last year the school held a drive-in ceremony because of the pandemic.

"Unexamined, this can only be a rough period of your life," he said. "But taking the time to reflect affords us insight into the principles that may guide our lives and the assets we didn't know we had to lean on in pursuit of the good life."

He described the pandemic as "far from a blessing," but praised students for adjusting their expectations.

"No longer is winning a state title your primary goal — but having a season together, or just enjoying the inspiration from Coach Smith is what you most pray for," he said. "Getting the 'A' has been replaced by being in the classroom with Mr. Spence or Ms. Orangio. Having a prom to rival what is shown on TV has been traded for simply being together for a night on the quad, singing your lungs out to different songs at the same time during a silent disco. At any moment you could have chosen defeat over victory, but by discerning what really matters most, you have taught yourselves and the rest of us how to find what is core in a situation."

Deans Cindy and Tony Lapolla addressed students. Faculty member Oscar King spoke on "Charge to the Seniors." Senior Class President Sareena Sandhu also spoke.

The choral program and chamber orchestra each shared recorded performances for the occasion.

There were 139 members of Menlo School's 2021 graduating class, according to the school.