Our 2025 Graduation Ceremony: Farewell and new beginnings

The past year has flown by. Moving into the houses on Campus Härlen, the first wing meeting, the first house party, the trial A-levels, our real A-levels up to the oral exams and suddenly it's here: the day of the graduation ceremony.

In formal suits and dresses, armed with hand fans due to the enormous heat, we make our way from the College to Schloss Salem, where our parents are already waiting for us with pride. We gather close together under the chestnut trees so that everyone can get some shade. After the welcome reception, the time has finally come: we throw our hats in the air - for what is probably the most famous photo of the year.

We march down the red carpet into the festively decorated hall, where Headmaster Henrik Fass welcomes all guests. With 120 graduates from 22 nations, we live the motto of the European idea of "unity in diversity" daily, as Henrik Fass emphasises. This was followed by encouraging and motivating speeches from the Chairman of the Parents' Council Andreas Zeiser-Radtke, the student representatives of the College and those of the Abi 1 class, who reminded and comforted us that, thanks to the ASV, it was not a final farewell and that we would see each other again in two years' time at the latest for the Whitsun Meeting. After the presentation of the international prizes and honours, the academic awards are presented, and the certificates are handed out.

This year's Abitur average is a record 2.05. More than half of the students have an “1” before the decimal point and 16 per cent have an average of less than 1.5. This year's highest academic achievement culminates in a triple 1.0. The IB results are not yet available at the time of the ceremony.

To round off the day, we meet for the last time on the Campus Härlen. We ate a lot and chatted at the table, laughed at the award ceremony for the "Goldenen" - and also cried when we looked at old photos. After my eight years in Salem, it's hard to comprehend seeing these people you've seen almost every day, this second family, for the last time. Our farewell will certainly be followed by a reunion - at the latest at the next ASV Whitsun Conference!