Good afternoon teachers, family members, and now distinguished graduates of the class of two-thousand and twenty.
While I am disappointed that I can’t be physically present to shake each of your hands and congratulate you all on this milestone occasion, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to share these parting words.
Today is a symbolic day – graduates, I hope that when you put on that gown and when you finally figured out how to pin that hat in place, that you felt it – felt the excitement that bubbles up, the thrill of achieving goals set, the anticipation of new beginnings and adventures yet to take place.
I want you to harness that excitement and I’d like to begin by offering you my heartfelt congratulations. You’ve earned this.
For the past three years you’ve worked hard for every academic success. You’ve each struggled at times, in your own ways, but you’ve leaned on strengths that were uniquely yours to overcome whatever barriers you faced. You may not realize it, but every test you studied for, every essay you’ve written, every speech you orated, every research assignment, video, group-project, art-piece, dramatic performance, discussion, competition, and tournament could be amassed to form an enormous mountain of, not just academic achievements, but personal growth. It took you three years, but each step you took in climbing that mountain showcased your newly learned skills and abilities. And now, you are at the summit. What greater joy is there in hiking a mountain and resting briefly at the peak, pausing, taking a moment to look back in wonder at all that you have accomplished?
I’m so proud of you. It might be one of the greatest perks of being an educator. From my vantage point as your principal, teacher, and coach, I have been able to observe as you challenged yourselves, as you stretched and strained and climbed your personal mountain. I feel so lucky to have glimpsed those moments in your journey. My grandmother once told me that “nothing really worth doing in life is easy,” and I want you to know that those moments when you didn’t know what you were doing but you stepped up to try, when you were afraid of failure but you kept moving forward, when you found the strength to fix a relationship you thought you had broken – those are the moments where real courage and real growth live, and those are the moments during your time at BCOS where you made me the most proud.
I speak for all your teachers both near and far when I say that this graduation day is our chance to celebrate each and every one of you – who you were when you first arrived at BCOS, how you’ve grown, and also to entertain dreams of who you are still yet to become. But too often in life, we rarely acknowledge the consistent every-day acts that matter, so I’d also like to thank the other cast members who played a roll in your success.
Thank you to family members and parents who wanted you to have a bright future and supported you every step of the way. Thank you to the school administration as they continued to prioritize the health and safety of all our school community members while navigating the challenges of a pandemic the world has rarely seen. Thank you to the teachers, who, in a crisis of health, were willing to try new mediums of educating, and remained patient during uncertain times – they never ceased to care about you as students and as people.
Graduates, I hope you cherish the memories we’ve made with one another. I hope you carry the life lessons you’ve learned at BCOS, and wherever you go, whatever you do, know that you belong to this school community and it will always belong to you. Congratulations again to the class of 2020, may you all find success in the next journey that awaits you!