Sofia Nielsen, a 17-year-old student at Notre Dame Academy, devised a unique graduation surprise for her classmates by painting portraits of all 110 of them. The concept was a way to honor their collective experiences and legacy at the school. With support from faculty, Nielsen secretly created the paintings over two months while keeping her plan confidential from friends, including her best friend Kayleigh. During her commencement speech, she revealed the portraits, leaving her classmates in awe and gratitude for the personalized mementos she crafted with dedication.
"The paintings would be a reminder that everything that you have become here at Notre Dame will always be a part of you. A way to immortalize our legacy," said Nielsen, the salutatorian for Notre Dame Academy's Class of 2025.
"I got the idea approved. Then, I went straight to Laura Bauer, the head of the yearbook, to ask for the yearbook photos. Then, I went to Joe Barral, the art department's head teacher, for supplies," she added.
"I truly had no idea she was planning anything, but I did know that she was beyond excited to give this speech at graduation. I am still in awe of how she went the extra mile to make it her own with the paintings," said her friend Kayleigh Fitzpatrick.
"I was like, it's crazy, but I think I could do it. So then, I did it," Nielsen reflected on the ambitious project that took her two months.
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