The communities we create, the connections we make, the lives we impact for the better

I want to start this with some thank yous. I want to thank everyone for joining us—whether you're here or online—for supporting us and making this moment special. A thank you to the administration as well as support staff, and all who work behind the scenes to keep our campus running. And of course, a massive thanks to all the teachers who have dedicated themselves to our success in and out of the classroom. Thank you for your infectious passion to discover, the personal relationships you’ve made with us, and for going above and beyond to be not only teachers but our life coaches and friends. Your impact on us will last far beyond our years here.

It's been a long road to get here. It feels like only yesterday when Luke bought a 3-foot raw salmon and then slow danced with it at the Middle School winter dance. The simple days. When the biggest stressor in your life was who you were bunking with on the Catalina trip. When every day ended with a trip to Regents. And every English class was just story time with Mr. Heppner.

Then high school rolled around, and I saw everyone around me evolve from goofy kids to young people with passions and aspirations. You set school records in swimming; won championships for your teams; produced moving artistic works; won countless awards at Mock Trial competitions. You made people laugh and smile with “The Government Inspector” and cry with “Les Mis.” The class of ’22 became top athletes, passionate artists, irreverent writers, ruthless food critics, sometimes successful stock traders, and bold activists. And through a global pandemic, isolated from those we love, with no lack of hardship or heartbreak, we emerged stronger and refused to let it define us.

But now it’s all over. We've reached the end of what we've been told is our life mission ever since we entered school. And what’s waiting over this hill is exciting. A new community, a new environment, new friends, starting new. But before we go, I want to leave you all with something. A handbook if you will, that compiles the most valuable lessons learned over high school from interviews with various students. Because this speech is for our class, and so your voices should be in it. This is what your friends had to say:    

Roma Nagle grew up in a culture where academics were placed above all, and a person’s value was only measured by academic success. But as she immersed herself into a community of people from all different backgrounds, she realized that excellence takes many forms and that these different forms of expertise each had something valuable she could learn from. Everyone around you has something to teach you, if you can find the humility to learn from them.

Kellen Rooney has accepted that as a passionate person, you will not always be able to get people as excited or motivated as you about what you care about. At first, this discouraged him, but the worthiness of your cause is measured only by your commitment to follow it. Don’t let what you can’t control stop the things you can achieve.

 

Yoonji Lee understands that sometimes, life feels like you're rowing against the tide. Except you have no paddles or arms, and there's not actually a boat—you're just drowning. But in those moments when it all feels like too much, having people in your life who unconditionally love you and support you can mean the difference between giving up and fighting for one more day. Pick the right friends, and you’ll never face the world alone.

Alex Glynn has been at Country Day for 14 years, and through that time he has seen people around him change radically. Because throughout high school, there's a pressure to change who you are, for others, expectations, or validation. Never change for anyone but yourself. Your rugged individuality will lose people along the way, but it’s what makes you special, and those who stay will love you for who you are. 

Thank you for your wisdom. When I interviewed you, there was something common between every piece of advice that stuck out to me. Every single one of these pieces of advice is about personal growth and interpersonal relationships. Not one mentions tips for academic success, time management, or studying habits. Because even though those have immense value, the most important things we gained were a deeper understanding of ourselves and a deeper connection with those around us. What is most important about not only high school, but as we move on with every stage of our lives, are the communities we create, the connections we make, the lives we impact for the better and the mark we leave behind. 

Ten years from now you’re not going to remember what flux is from AP Physics, if you ever even figured it out; you won’t remember the structure of a DBQ; and Ms. Gheewala, I still don’t know what “today’s deliverable” even means.  

But what you will remember is that who you are makes you special. You’ll remember that every person around you is a potential teacher, how valuable it is to have supportive friends, to never let others discourage the pursuit of your passion, and the many other lessons you have and will pick up on your journey.

But, sadly for us, this journey is not one we can all do together. To quote a group of 40 Lower Schoolers [from the song “It’s Hard to Say Goodbye” by Don Besig], “There are places we must go, a brand new set of friends we get to find. We have dreams we need to live, love we need to give. We know we won’t forget the moments that we spent, the things that made us laugh and made us cry. It’s hard to say goodbye.”

I am certain our paths will cross again, one way or another, so instead of goodbye I’ll say, “until we meet again.” And in the meantime, I can’t wait to see the inspiring people you become, the exciting lives you will pave for yourselves, and the incredible things you will all accomplish.