Branson celebrated its annual Convocation on September 25, 2026, marking the start of the school year with lively music and inspiring speeches in Prize Day Field.
Head of School Chris Mazzola greeted students, faculty, staff, and parents of the senior class with a warm welcome. The program started with a lively rendition of Cold Duck Time by Less McCan and Eddie Harris, performed by the Jazz Ensemble who added their own touch to the song with improv solos. Then, Senior Class Representative Bailey Hedrick read The Summer Day by Mary Oliver.
The faculty keynote speech encouraged students to be kind and curious learners and members of the community. After the keynote, Senior Class Representative London Mullarkey read The Warning by Jenny Joseph, encouraging her classmates to not be afraid of standing out and inviting them to indulge themselves in fun. Senior Class Representative Ryan Kafayi carried her message on in his dramatic reading of Firework by Katy Perry.
Branson’s Rock Band ended the ceremony with a lively performance that mixed today's most popular music with American classics, playing Rein Me In by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean, Waste a Moment by Kings of Leon, and Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for a wonderful start to our senior class's final year as students at Branson!
(Photos by Robert M. Becker Photography.)