More than a jacket.
The Class of 2027 received its green blazers on Wednesday, but Edwin Cooper ’81, P’19, P’23 made one thing clear to the seniors gathered for the annual ceremony in St. Joseph’s Chapel – their work is far from finished.
“We’re all works in progress,” Edwin told them.
He spoke about the experiences that shape a Greenie long before he puts on the jacket – showing up when the work isn’t glamorous, pushing through frustration in the classroom, recommitting to a team after a loss, and sitting beside a friend who needs a brother.
Every one of those moments, he told them, helps form character.
The green jacket recognizes that growth, but it is “not a receipt for a job complete,” Edwin said.
Instead, Edwin described the blazers as membership into a brotherhood built on hard work, competition, learning, and faith. And membership comes with an obligation.
Stay connected. Show up when Christ School calls. Continue the work others began. Make the school better for the Greenies who come next.
“You’re not the first, and you will not be the last. We’re all part of a long line,” Edwin said.
On Wednesday, the Class of 2027 took its place in that line.
Edwin and his wife, Andrea P'19, P'23, generously support the Cooper Living Arts Program, now in its fifth year, and have had two sons wear the green blazer, Hase '19 and Havilah '23.
The seventy-one Greenies in the Class of 2027, Christ School’s largest-ever senior class are (in alphabetical order):
TK Aul, Carl Baird, Brooks Barbee, Johnny Barlas, Owen Beardsley, Aidan Beatty, Koen Booker, Hank Bradley, Lyndon Bryan, Matt Buckingham, Davis Campbell, Wyatt Campbell, Charlie Candler, Jerry Chen, Ethan Christie, Ross Clapsaddle, Owen Clarke, Alex Cocklin, Max Collyer, Keion Conley, Henry Cronlund, John Lloyd David, William Davis, Jack Dennehy, Jameson Dow, Alec Dzialo, Levi Ellison, Thomas Flores, Finn Francis, Guy Gardner, Hayes Gasperson, Ben Graham, Isaiah Gray, Jack Greganti, Wyatt Haddock, Nolan Johnson, Dillon Kirk, Dylan Knoll, Sean Kraft, Bill Lei, Mathis Lessard, Drake Lewis, Brandon MacPhaille, Wes McAven, Timmy McDowell, Cormac McLaughlin, Tyler Melvin, Palo Miles, Henry Montgomery, Myles Murphy, Talin Patel, PK Pollick, Winn Poteat, Trent Rash, Will Ray, Dallas Reeves, Hoge Reynolds, Tristan Richard, Patrick Robichaud, Bowen Scheurer, William Sharp, Dre Smith, Elliott Stay, Ryan Taylor, Tomas Tracy, Brody Webb, Nash Weinzapfel, Logan Woolsey, TK Wright, Reynolds Young, and Terrence Yu.