Up to seven years of learning in and out of the classroom has come and gone, but members of Kent Denver’s Centennial class know those school experiences will benefit them well into the future. They also know they’ll always have a home at the school, something they were reminded of often by teachers and administrators during the final weeks of class and again during their Commencement ceremony. 

The Class of 2022 certainly accomplished a lot: navigating through the challenges of a global pandemic while continuing to tackle community service projects, perform in musicals and plays, win numerous awards in robotics and speech & debate, address global issues head on through the Sun Devils Model United Nations club, capture additional state titles in athletics, create a Centennial Scholarship Fund to provide financial aid for future students and so much more. 

But for the departing seniors, the lasting image of Kent Denver is not the work, performances, or even the recognition—it’s the people. 

“The teachers are my favorite part of Kent,” says Taleen Sample ’22. “They’re here to support you and they want you to succeed, but they’ll still challenge you. It’s been really great to learn how to not only be a student, but grow into myself as a person under their guidance.”

Fellow students spoke to the bond of the entire Kent community—friends, classmates, teachers, faculty, administrators and alumni. 

“To me, being a Sun Devil means having a kind, inclusive and connected spirit,” says Arman Kian ’22. “Everybody at the school has this drive for learning and understanding new things about the world, while growing individually as a person and a whole community.”

As the semester came to a close, the Class of 2022 had time to reflect on their time at Kent Denver. In our Senior Stories video series, we caught up with 11 seniors to ask the following three questions: 

1. What have been your most impactful experiences at Kent Denver School?
2. What does it mean to be a Sun Devil? 
3. How would you describe the teachers at Kent Denver?

Watch all three videos with the links above, as the Centennial class details how their positive experiences at Kent have prepared them well for college and beyond. That includes this final reflection from Shada Giornazi ’22—a note that many alumni can certainly relate to.  

“I’m going to go on through life with these values and morals that Kent has instilled in me,” Giornazi said. “It’s rooted in kindness, and it’s about seeing other people and looking at the world with curious eyes and thinking about what I can do to help this community.  Being a Sun Devil is one of the best things you can be, and it’s something I’ll be for the rest of my life. I’m proud to say it.”