At Church Farm School’s Alumni Weekend Career Panel last month, current students were inspired by more than 20 graduates — ranging from the Class of 2018 all the way back to the Class of 1974 — who spoke about how their alma mater set them on paths for success in careers as varied as aerospace engineering, tech innovation, filmmaking, national defense, accounting, educational leadership, and more.

Alumni who were around when the school was a working farm (the 1980s and earlier) credit farming, in part, to their strong adult work ethic, but the hundreds of graduates since undoubtedly possess the same spark.

Stephen Loney, Class of 1997, a former board member and current parent of a rising junior, once summed it up this way: “There’s something special about that school. It might be in the type of students the school’s mission is aimed for — diamonds in the rough. You put those boys together in that kind of environment and they thrive. Fast-forward to adulthood and a Church Farm School alumna is someone who is a leader, your best employee, your favorite person.”

The 25 members of the Class of 2024 are clearly on track to becoming all these things and more at their respective colleges and universities. With acceptances to more than 100 unique schools, the senior class made smart, informed decisions about their next steps with the aid of their peers, their families, and, of course, Director of College Guidance Tiffany Scott, who will assume the Interim Head of School role on July 1.

Shalva Bent, the valedictorian of CFS’s Class of 2024, turned down an offer from Cornell that didn’t provide enough merit-based scholarships and financial aid to be feasible. Instead, he is matriculating to Williams College, where he plans to study neuroscience.

Caleb Crosby, who came to CFS as a senior knowing well the benefits for college admission that his older brother Nnamdi Render, Class of 2014, experienced at the school, received a scholarship to play basketball at Drew University.

Angel Asiamah applied early decision to Skidmore College — with which CFS has a strong partnership — and accepted a full ride. Jon Rivera will have his entire cost of attendance at the University of Chicago through the QuestBridge Scholar program. Class president Fayi Nshanji’s dream was to attend Brown University, and although he didn’t receive as much financial support as he hoped, he has a strong plan to make the costs work for him and his family.

Financial aid and merit-based scholarships are critical to families looking at the high price tags of many colleges and universities today. For CFS students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college, financial accessibility is a must. To set themselves up for success, they employ “Griffin grit,” exploring as many opportunities as they can during their four years. They seek leadership positions ranging from cottage prefects to student congress, team captains, and club presidents. They are immensely grateful that these opportunities come at a significant discount — through a generous donor community and a strong endowment, almost every CFS family pays less than 10 percent of the school’s boarding tuition annually.

Ensuring the school is financially accessible to young men who need it has been the school’s mission since 1918 — a mission that began with the vision of founder The Rev. Charles Wesley Shreiner; persisted through the tenures of his son Charlie and his grandson, Terry; continued through the 15 years of leadership of The Rev. Edmund K. Sherrill II; and which will remain a focus under the guidance of Tiffany Scott and new Board Chair and President Vincent J. Napoleon.

Learn more about Church Farm School, which continues to offer rolling admission for its boarding and day programs for young men in grades 9-12 through the summer.