I suppose it would have been too much for one student to be chosen for the honor of being crowned Prom Queen and to be selected as the Commencement Speaker of the graduating high school class of 2012. And so, even though this speech was not delivered by my firstborn, it was written by her and is still worthy of being published for posterity. Speech follows:
Good afternoon, fellow graduates, teachers, and parents. Today is a day of reckoning. It is not like yesterday, and it is not like tomorrow—we are going to remember this day for the rest of our lives, because today commemorates the culmination of our efforts put into the last twelve years of our lives. All the achievements we have made, milestones we have passed, and setbacks we have encountered, have enriched us, and have made us who we are today.
It is hard to believe that over a decade ago, the tough decisions that were facing us at the time revolved around what color shorts we were going to wear to school, or which lunchbox looked cooler. But we survived the drama and insecurities of middle school, and soon came face-to-face with the challenges of high school. But even these, we managed to negotiate as best we could– some with grace, others a bit awkwardly, but here we are, four years later.
These past four years at Huron High have shaped our thoughts and beings, and have made us who we are at this moment, and it is this foundation that will have an impact on the young men and women we will become tomorrow.
Ferdinand Delacroix, a writer and thinker once said,“What moves men of genius, or rather what inspires their work, is not new ideas, but their *obsession* with the idea that what has already been said is still not enough.” After we receive our diplomas today and head out into the real world, may it be that we take these words to heart. May it be that we will strive for that “obsession” to never be satisfied, but will always desire to improve upon what has been already said and done.
With that as our motto, let us take a look over our shoulders at the past four years. Over these last four years, we have witnessed many significant international, national, local, and community events. Allow me to refresh our memories:
We entered Huron High four years ago having just watched Usain Bolt break the world record in the 100m sprint in the 2008 summer olympics, and four years later, we are yet again on the brink of another summer olympics. Four years ago, we also witnessed the inauguration of the United States’ first black president, Barack Obama, a historic moment in time.
Along with these joyous events, we have also seen much suffering around the world. The 2010 earthquake in Haiti killed almost a quarter million people and did unfathomable damage. Beginning around 2008, our country entered into a recession, and the vast majority of us have been affected by it directly or indirectly. Perhaps this year, the year of our graduation, will mark the beginning of improvement for our economy.
For all you football fans out there, I’m sure you will remember the New Orleans Saints’ first Super Bowl victory in 2010—a major morale boost for the state of Louisiana after the horrific doings of hurricane Katrina in 2005.
On the international front, in just the last couple of years, we have witnessed an era of drastic global change. The Arab Spring, beginning in early 2011 introduced a revolution in the Middle East that has all the makings of forever changing the course of history in that part of the world for many generations to come.
And a whole decade after the devastation of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on our soil, Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind behind the attacks, was annihilated by the United States Special Forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
We also have watched many things come to an end, as all good things eventually must. In 2011, NASA’s Space Shuttle program ended with the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis. That same year, Oprah Winfrey aired her last show, ending her twenty five year run.
And so dear fellow classmates, while it is true that we have come to the end of our school careers, it is also true that this is just the beginning for us. In the words of William Shakespeare, “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” In our quests to find ourselves, let us strive to inculcate an obsession to strive to improve ourselves and the world around us, no matter where are paths take us.
Most of us can say that we are truly privileged to have lived and grown up in this incredible city of Ann Arbor, some of us having lived here for our entire lives. Though some of us will be leaving Ann Arbor in the fall, we will always remember the feeling of being enveloped in every form of diversity– in the fields of art, music, food, and most importantly, ideas. We can say with confidence that we have experienced life in a global microcosm that is Ann Arbor. Hanging out downtown with friends, chilling at the Top of the Park, strolling through the art fair– the largest art fair in the country, by the way– are some of the memories that unite us all.
On the school front, in recent months, we have all struggled through our classes in prepping for tests and exams, showing up for Band or Orchestra practice on weekday evenings, going to softball, lacrosse and crew practice, and trying to stay focused even as we ambled through junior year and marched into our senior year.
I know that we will cherish our school days: we will remember attending the homecoming football games on cold autumn nights, and screaming at the top of our lungs for our sports teams. We will also remember the lazy days in the short winter months when we were told to “quiet down” by our dear librarians, and we will definitely remember rushing out to McDonalds or Qdoba to grab some lunch with good friends. Last but not least, we will certainly remember our Homecoming and Prom.
More on what we’ve witnessed over the last four years: We have watched Apple transform the way we communicate with each other, take and share pictures, and collect and listen to music thanks to our iPods, iPads, or iPhones.
Some of us woke up at ungodly hours in the night to watch and fawn over Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, and I’m sure many of us were shaking our heads in wonderment and perhaps disapproval after watching the ostentatious Kardashian wedding that resulted in a 72-day marriage.
Yes, we have all spent way too much time checking our Facebook feeds, tweeting about the most frivolous things, and putting off homework by watching “just one more” clip on YouTube or a show on Hulu.
These past four years have been filled with our persistent efforts, which have led to incredible achievements. Our men’s basketball team has won districts every year, and in 2010, went to the championship game. The hockey team beat Pioneer not once or twice, but three times, and won the regional championship in their season of 2009-2010. The women’s swim team has been the top-placing Ann Arbor team at states for two years, has set many new varsity records, and swam over 200 miles for the U of M Cancer Center. Also, in their 2010-2011 season, the varsity Women’s Crew team came in 3rd at nationals, meaning that boat was the 3rd fastest high school women’s boat in America and Canada.
Beyond sports, we have always excelled in our fine arts and music programs. Our Symphony Orchestra was selected to play the opening concert for the Michigan Music Conference in 2011, making them the first high school group to ever do this.
These feats are just a few of many of things that we have accomplished, and few of the many ways in which we are leaving our mark on Huron High. It is perhaps worth noting that it was our dissatisfaction with the status quo that made us achieve these great things.
Today, after we receive our diplomas and start a new chapter in our lives, let us not forget that we have already made a difference in this world, but it will now be our responsibility to continue to make a difference with the choices we make.
And what might those choices be? Let us pause for a moment to take a brief look at the state of our nation. Although America is the world’s superpower, America is also the most obese nation in the world. Will we accept this statistic, or will we do something about it? We have the power to lead healthier lives and inspire others to lead healthy lives in simple ways, such as eating more plant-based foods bought from places like the Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti Farmer’s Markets.
We also have the power and responsibility to be more environmentally friendly. While many of us are diligent in recycling our paper and plastic, how about challenging ourselves to minimize the trash we create every day?
Yet another way in which we can use our power and responsibility is by strengthening the connections within our community. It is true that we live in an era where we have seen the height of global interconnectedness—we trade with world partners for everything from technology to produce– but it is equally important to stay connected to our immediate local communities. Let us not stop volunteering our time and energies in helping our communities to grow and flourish.
According to the United Nations, on October 31st, 2011, the world population reached 7 billion inhabitants. That is a lot of people on this planet! And yet, each of us has our own place in the sun. It may be easy to get lost in an ever-growing crowd, but let us not settle for the status quo. Rather, let us strive to continue to improve and innovate in everything that we put our heads and hands to.
But beware, my dear friends, in the words of Ernest Hemingway, “Never mistake motion for action.” We know we have accomplished much and can continue to accomplish much more. Let us take advantage of this power and be filled with an obsession, like Delacroix says, to improve the world around us.
In closing, I’d like to leave you with a few specific thoughts:
- First, your parents, family, and your teachers are your greatest supporters. Let us thank them for all that they have done for us. But remember, our parents don’t always want what is best for us. They want what is good for us, which isn’t always the same thing. They wish to protect us from risk and discomfort, and therefore may urge us to make safe choices. Theodore Roosevelt—soldier, explorer, president—once remarked, “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” I hope that you will find the courage to try!
- Second, if you can’t be great, I think it’s alright! Being great involves luck and other circumstances beyond one’s control. Our greatness may lie in being faithful in the small things. Besides, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being solid!
- Third, if we can’t make the world a better place, please let’s not make the world worse! Everyone will tell us that we can change the world. They are right, but remember that “changing the world” can include things like skirting financial regulations and manufacturing unhealthy foods. We may not have a cure for cancer, but let’s not contribute to the conditions that may increase it.
Finally, I’d like to leave you with two quotes: Albert Einstein once said, “Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything one learned in school.” May it be that this is true for each of us.
And like Walt Whitman, may it be that we also can say to each other and to ourselves: “(let) the powerful play go on, and you will contribute a verse.”
Congratulations, fellow graduates and River Rats! And welcome to the first day of a bright future!
Harriet Beecher Stowe 6/14/1811 – 7/1/1896 American author; wrote “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”.
William Butler Yeats 6/13/1865 – 1/28/1939 Irish poet, dramatist and writer.
Anthony Eden 6/12/1897 – 1/14/1977 British foreign secretary (1935-8, 1940-5 and 1951-5) and prime minister (1955-7).
