News & Events

The Development and Alumni Office invited the Class of 2017 to a farewell lunch in the courtyard as a kick off to the induction ceremony.

After lunch, students placed various personal items in a time capsule that would be opened during their 10-year class reunion in 2027. Class President Karim Nimeh placed a USB with photos and videos, a letter to himself, a pen, crackers and some sports badges. As the other students came forward, Robbie Koeck put in a bottle of wine from the year 1999, the year he was born. Most students put in a letter or photos but one student put in money in case he needed some in 10 years. 

Ironically, as the last items were put in, the bell rang signaling the end of the school day. When they gathered around the cake, the students realized that this was the last time they would hear the ‘end of the day’ school bell together and their last school day together as a class.

Next they took a seat in the Rabbit Field to listen to Head of Schools Greg MacGilpin Jr. He talked about the privilege being a member of an alumni group with over 4000 people. He then introduced Dr. Liane Sadder, Class of ’09, the guest Alumni Speaker.

She congratulated the students and gave them advice about college and personal growth. She told the students to “get out of their comfort zone, travel, join clubs, put yourself out there.”

Seniors then went to the podium to receive their dog tags from the Head of Schools. Their Alumni Dog Tags have the student’s first initial, family name, their legacy number, class number and ACS Beirut.

With tags in hand, Karim Nimeh took the microphone to lead the students in reciting the new Pledge of Loyalty to the Alma Mater. The pledge, written by Danai El Hajj Ibrahim ’06, the Director of Alumni Affairs and Community Relations is the first alumni pledge in school history.

Time for one last group photo before graduation. As they were lining up, Mr. MacGilpin thanked the class for their donations towards the naming of the Rabbit Field and showed them where a plaque would go in their honor.