there to support us at all our school, and sports events, and activities. Thank you, Class of 2017. You guys are one of the reasons that made me want to come to school every day. And last of all, I would like to thank my mom, dad, my grand- parents, and all of my family. They have contributed to my success. Love you mom, dad, and Prem! Now that our time at Cathedral is coming to an end, we have an oppor- tunity to put to good use the skills that we have acquired. Now it is our turn to take on the world by helping others, real- izing our potential, finding our passion, and expressing our gratitude. William Shakespeare once said, “Some are born
great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Of course, we cannot count on being born great. Instead, let greatness be some- thing we aim to achieve. It is in your grasp. Remember, many of our political leaders and heroes began their lives as unknown people. They worked hard and created opportunities for themselves —the main reasons why they are great today. Despite the failures and mistakes that we will make, history has proven that the average person can also achieve greatness: whether it’s recognized by the whole world or just a few. If there is anything you take from today, remember to strive for greatness. It’s not to get money and recognition, but it’s to leave
those people you meet with a little more happiness and hope than they had before you met. Our time as an eighth-grade class will not be remembered by personal popularity, likes, or favorites, but by rela- tionships. Cathedral has taught us to be kind and thoughtful people. Cathedral has given us the tools we need to be great in whatever we choose to do. Now, it is our responsibility to take what we have learned here, become great, and contribute to society. Class of 2017, it’s been a great experi- ence with you guys. I’m going to miss all of you, and I wish you the very best in high school next year.
LESSON THREE: FIND PASSION
surprisingly, the story started to make sense to him. Now, as I reflect upon these experiences, I realize that through these service opportunities I received more than I gave. Working with the children at these schools has been an unforget- table experience. I was there to teach, but instead, I was the one who was taught. LESSON TWO: CHALLENGE YOURSELF Recently, we had our last play perfor- mance. Under Mr. Breen and Ms. Rozsa’s direction, we put in many hours to make sure that we could perfect our eighth- grade play “Crowding.” Everybody did an outstanding job; however, one person stood out to me—Brandon Gomez. In the past Brandon hadn’t sought out a lead role, but this year he took on the challenge of singing a whole solo, and delivered more than 70 lines. Brandon really worked hard and, in my opinion, there couldn’t have been anyone better to take on the part. He didn’t hold back; instead, he pushed himself. Brandon invested a lot of time before the audi- tions and, as a result, he was awarded the lead part. Brandon’s experience reminds us that if we put in the hard work and effort, we can achieve anything we put our minds toward.
Sam Vogel started his own business of selling pencils and candy; in third grade, Mac Hocking created a perfume air- freshener business; and, in seventh grade, Evan Agenbroad along with Kyle Fortune started a shoe customization business. These are just some of the dreams that our friends had. Small dreams, maybe, but the boys’ gained big experience, which will open doors for even bigger dreams. LESSON FIVE: EXPRESS GRATITUDE It feels like every single day someone does something for us, but we never get the opportunity to thank them. So today I would like to offer some of my final “thank-you’s.” Thank you, teachers and administrators. Each of you has contrib- uted to our success. My classmates and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the hard work, dedi- cation, and countless hours you have contributed to our well being and success. Thank you for preparing and equipping us with the skills that will last a lifetime. Thank you, coaches. Coach Harden, Coach Mullen, Coach Iljas, Coach Taylor, Coach Vietmeier, and Coach Rankin— you guys were always a positive influence. Thank you, parents. Thanks for sending us to such a wonderful school and being
Over our nine years many of us have discovered something that we are passionate about. My man, Amrit Baveja, has fallen in love with technology and, more specifically, coding. My friend Quincy Corsello loves to act, and Andrew Chacon loves playing instruments. As Simon Sinek once said, “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we care about is called passion.” Finding our passion is something we should work toward, something that is worth putting the energy into. All of the people that I acknowledged above have put a lot of time and energy into their passion, and they should serve as examples for us to follow. LESSON FOUR: DREAM BIG Dreams are meant for everyone. Harriet Tubman once said, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” Our dreams started small but they have grown as we have grown. It’s never too early to start dreaming. In second grade,
JOHN TAYLOR, Former Fourth-Grade Teacher
GOOD MORNING BISHOP, DEAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, GOOD MORNING GRADUATES. When I was first told that I was elected to speak here today, my very first reaction was about how honored I was and how exciting it would be to speak in front of a packed house in Grace Cathedral. A place where we’ve started our school days three days per week for the last several years, Actually, that’s a lie. Ask Ms. Roggero. My first reaction was one of paralyzing fear. I wasn’t sure how I’d get through it. My second reaction was about the honor and the excitement. In all seriousness, I am extremely honored and humbled to be able to speak to you, the Class of 2017, on your special day. I’ve always admired the grad- uation speakers who have stood in my spot—the Mundys, the Mullens, the Vietmeiers. I’ve admired those great teachers and mentors who have stood up here on this day, and wondered if I’d ever receive the honor. I’ve even taken notes over the years, in the event that I’d ever need to plan for this. I’ve jotted down the messages they’ve delivered: messages about showing kind- ness; about being yourself and not what others expect you to be; about how two or three squirts of cologne can go a long way; about forgiving; about exploring the arts; about having some good jokes always at the ready; and about taking action in life. Now, here we are. Here we are experiencing our final moments on campus, Let that sink in for a moment, if it hasn’t already. I’m guessing, if you’re like me, this day has been on your mind for at least the last four or five months. Our time as “regulars”
here has been winding down. I know I’ve been acutely aware of my own series of “lasts.” The last basketball season; last volley- ball and baseball seasons; last Hymn Sing; last field day; last eighth-grade musical (let’s give these guys one more round of applause for that truly amazing theatrical performance); last test; last assignment; last Cathedral yearbook; last Student Council Fair; last Dunk Contest; and last faculty vs. eighth- grade basketball game (no applause necessary, please). The Class of 2017, like me, has spent a significant and impres- sionable portion of our lives within these CSB walls, gathering and internalizing the building blocks of what it means to be good and successful students and people. This has happened whether you’ve been here for two years, or for nine. And
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