Ninety-six students dressed in blue and white gather on the green grass of the St. Paul Academy’s North lawn, appearing as high schoolers for the last time. The commencement ceremony takes place June 12 at 4 p.m. on the north lawn of the Randolph Campus.

If the weather is clear, all are invited. If raining, graduating families with tickets will congregate in the Huss Center.

This is the first year that the Huss Center will be the alternate location for the ceremony, with overflow seating in Driscoll Commons and the Small Gym where family and friends can watch a live feed.

Except for the emergency rain venue, this is not a year of many changes to the tradition. Last year’s changes will remain intact: students will be introduced in alphabetical order, rather than paired by gender, and girls may choose to wear pants rather than the traditional white dress or skirt.

The senior speakers at commencement, chosen early in the spring through an audition process by the Senior Class Leadership Council and administration, will be seniors Boraan Abdulkarim and Jack Romans.

“My speech is meant to be a semi-candid, honest and insightful moment in which I address myself and my classmates. The takeaway is one that I find essential to pursuing and launching our professional and career ambitions,” Abdulkarim said.

The commencement speaker is Honorable Wilhelmina M. Wright, U.S. District Judge, District of Minnesota.