RMHS Graduation 2024
Good Evening parents, families, staff and distinguished guests, thank you for being here tonight to celebrate these wonderful young people in the Class of 2024.
Each commencement has its own beauty and character. This evening there is a beauty that emanates from the happiness of the graduates and from the joy of families who have provided love and support during the past 13 years of schooling. There is hope and anticipation from the educators that have helped mold you into young adults that you will be engaged, think critically, speak your mind, and also listen intently to develop well-informed decisions. When I look out over the Class of 2024, I too have hope, for a better tomorrow, for our future as a community, Commonwealth and nation because you are young adults with strong character and acute intellect.
Graduation is a time to reflect on past achievements, a time to set new goals, and even more importantly, a time to review our commitments to ourselves and those values that make us the individuals that we are. Graduation serves to remind us how closely our lives are intertwined, how our successes reflect more than just our efforts, and how much certain people mean to us. Your parents and families share this day with you, their pride in you and joy in your achievements reflect but a small measure of their support, encouragement, and love.
Graduates, after you leave this ceremony and look into the proud faces of your parents and families, see the love and support that has nurtured and sustained you and brought you this far in life. For you, I publicly congratulate your parents and families for a job well done. Graduates, how about a round of applause for your parents and families for their efforts to help you succeed over the past 17 to 18 years.
Your teachers, administrators, counselors and members of our support staff also share this evening with you in a special way. For them, it marks the culmination of a joint venture. Their dedication to building your scholarship, and commitment have served to challenge you, setting before you a standard by which your efforts and successes could be measured. For you, I publicly salute and thank them.
As you gather together one last time as students of the Reading Memorial High School Class of 2024, I take this opportunity to express my confidence in each of you. The world into which you are graduating has controversy and discord. I say this not to frighten you, but to challenge you. See in the adversity the challenge to excel and not the excuse for failure. Being successful isn’t about who is the smartest, fastest or strongest person, it mainly comes down to having grit, a refusal to give up or give in. In working with many of you this year, I know some of the trials, tribulations, growth, wins and losses you have experienced. Class of 2024, you have grit.
In her book Grit, author Angela Duckworth describes people that have never dealt with failure or adversity as “fragile perfects.” You are not “fragile perfects,” you have already succeeded in the face of adversity, which gives me confidence that you will continue to do so in the future when you will undoubtedly face crossroads and unforeseen challenges.
You as a class, and as individuals do not give up, you see a setback as just that, and not a failure, you have what it takes to be the leaders of the next generation, you simply need to believe that fact. Be humble and hardworking, and success will continue to find you in whatever form it may be.
To close, on behalf of every teacher, counselor and staff member that has helped you to this point in your life; I wish you much happiness and continued success.
