WESTPORT – Greens Farms Academy hosted its annual commencement ceremony on Friday, May 30, at which 98 students were graduated. Serra Nalbantoglu of Westport was this year’s valedictorian, with Lydia San Jose from Darien as salutatorian.

The event’s keynote speaker was GFA parent Renée Elise Goldsberry, the Tony and Grammy Award-winning actress and singer.

Her inspiring address included lessons on self-discovery and the joy that accompanies continuous work on one’s strengths and gifts. The highlight of her speech was a surprise serenade of an original song she wrote for her son. Goldsberry closed with these lyrics:

“Take this blessing, leave the rest, ‘cause everything you need from here is now a part of you. We know how it is, we’ve been there before, best thing we can give–an open door.” 

Greens Farms Academy is an independent day school serving more than 750 K-12 students from over 30 towns in Fairfield and Westchester Counties. The school is celebrating its centennial year.

GFA graduates consistently matriculate to top universities or post-graduate programs, including Boston College, Brown University, University of Chicago, Duke University, Georgetown University, Princeton University, Rice University, the U.S. Naval Academy, Williams College, Yale University and several other institutions in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.