Archive: Opinions

Distinguished Guests, members of the faculty and staff, parents, family, friends, and most importantly graduates of the Class of 2011, today is not just another day. You have experienced many days, nearly 6,600 in your lifetime so far, and it is my hope that you enjoy many thousands more.

But today marks a milestone in your lives. You have met, if not exceeded, the New York State Department of Education's requirements for a high school diploma. For 13 years, you have sat in classrooms, listened to teachers and instructors, and taken many quizzes and exams. Year after year you made the grade and advanced up the ladder of education. As a result of your efforts, you have achieved a level of comprehension that has surprised your teachers, parents, and perhaps yourself.

In 13 short years, you have gone from reciting the letters of the alphabet and writing simple sentences to quoting lengthy dialogs from South Park, Jersey Shore and Harry Potter. You have demonstrated incredible progress in the arts and sciences beginning with crayons and finger paints to mastering iPods and cell phones that have more power and memory than the computers that put the first man on the moon back in 1969.

You have matured to a level of sophistication that your parents can be proud of. They will listen and watch with great joy as your name is announced; you walk up on stage, and receive your diploma. It is my sincere belief that this will be first of many achievements in your lives.

I want to challenge you with this thought: all of you must reach beyond the limits of your potential as you move on in your lives. Whether you are on your way to college, a career or the military, it is my hope that you will become involved in the community where you live. No matter where you may be, you have knowledge, skills, and talents that can benefit others around you. Offer them freely and you will experience a joy and feeling of accomplishment that many in attendance here today have felt throughout their lives.

Each of you will leave here today with a piece of paper, your diploma, that you will most likely be framed and hang in your room. Several years from now, when you move out of your parents' home, you will pack up your diploma and place it in a box where it will remain for years to come. Yes you may forget about the piece of paper, but never forget about what you acquired over these 13 years of education. Be true to what you believe, and you will be happy in life. Congratulations Class of 2011: Carpe Diem. And that is to the point.

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