Farewell to the Class of 2001

From Michael, Valedictorian:
For several years we have eagerly awaited commencement. Now that the time has arrived to say farewell to Noblesville High School and to our friends, we experience, along with our joy, some hesitation. Perhaps we recognize that today's ceremonious farewell signifies that we must leave the comfort we have known for the past four years and enter far less familiar territory.

Please remember this is not our first farewell. We bid farewell to ourrespective elementaries and the playgrounds we had ruled only to enter the middle school. We became the youngest in the building and, once together, there were more than 400 of us, and over 1300 students in the building. Together we learned the virtues of persistence and endurance as we shared classes in the portables, projects and deadlines for the ever-looming International Festival, and occasional pyrotechnics with alcohol burners. By the time we ended eighth grade, even the "new" middle school had become comfortable and familiar. Many of us found entering high school to be disorienting, literally. After all, each corner of the school looks like a carbon copy of the next. We also faced the possibility that we might be assigned to classes that included not only other freshmen but also upperclassmen, a situation we had not previously encountered. Your presence before me today is an indication that we have survived numerous situations

that we had not previously encountered. Fortunately, through each of these times of change, our friends made these transitions right along with us.

Please understand this will not be our last farewell. Throughout life, we
will observe a series of farewells. This is true for those of us who will
continue our education, and it is also true for those who will immediately
enter the workforce. There will be times when our friends move on without us, and there will be
times when we advance to new jobs or new locations, leaving some of our friends behind. Yet each farewell brings new
opportunities, new experiences, and even new friends.

Each transition that we make yields its own set of challenges and rewards. We have learned well the lesson that life is a series of transitions. We have the confidence and the experience to say our farewells and to move forward on our own. After all, commencement means "to begin." It is not the end, nor is it even the beginning of the end. Commencement is merely the end of the beginning.


From Jim, Valedictorian:
Good evening. I say good evening even though the sun still shines
outside, because evening is what comes when a day is done. And in an hour or so, a day that has lasted twelve, thirteen, maybe twenty-three years will be done. Many of you here will be happy to see it over so that you can get on with your lives, while others linger in the lengthening shadows and think wistfully back on what you leave behind. I think most of you, like me, feel a mixture of both: glad to be free of a world of homework and hall passes, but still a little sad to be parted from so many friends.

I do not wish to speak to you about your future, since I am confident
that every one of you will find your own form of happiness and success in
life. Nor do I wish to ask you to think of your parents or teachers, as this
day is for you, not them. I don't even have any advice or inspiration for
you, because I've seen that each of you possesses the strength of will and
character to create your own wisdom and your own hope. You're already such fine human beings that I really can't give you anything you couldn't better make for yourselves. So, the only thing left for me to do is say goodbye.

My esteemed colleague [Michael] spoke of the necessity and importance of transitions, and how today is just one of many farewells we will have to say. I reflect on his words, and they are undoubtedly true. But their truth does not change that this fall I will be leaving for a school a thousand miles from here, or in any way alter the fact this will be the last time I ever see most of you. So, while this day is just one of many farewells we will have to say, this speech is my farewell to you.

In the past four years, I've come to know most of you, some better than
others. I'll miss you. Looking out into the audience, I see a few
unfamiliar faces. I'll miss you, too. I?ll miss you even though we managed
to avoid each other for twelve years, because you're valuable people and you contributed to a valuable environment. Thank you.

Those of you I did know are in for a longer goodbye. Four years is,
after all, a long time. Believe me when I tell you it has been a pleasure to
know you. To be honest, I disliked many of you for most of these four years, but at this point, I like and even admire all of you. I am particularly glad of the complexity so many of you have. Some of you, though your voices have a certain volume, have quiet and reflective minds. Others, while meek and mild in so many things, turn into lovable maniacs at the strangest provocation. So many of you who seemed to be walking stereotypes surprised me with truly delightful intricacy of character. Some of the most sheltered of you are also the wildest, and some of the least studious of you have an exceptional understanding of the most intriguing concepts. You're warm, you're funny, and you've made me feel accepted, if never truly understood. And despite that, I can't help feeling that I've been blessed to know you. In these last days, particularly, I've come to appreciate the souls of light and beauty you all possess. It bothers me that so many of you cover them with such strange dark masks, but I understan





d you why you do if you choose. But it is a radiant light and a breathtaking beauty, and I can't say how much I'll miss every individual one of you over the course of the following year.

I said I don't have any advice, but if there was anything I could say
that might help you, it would be to stop taking yourselves quite so
seriously. You're funny people, and every now and then it's all right to let
laughter flow from your ears to your hearts to your lungs to the open air.
But I'm not worried about that, since I know that even those of you who are a little too stiff have enough of the divine in you to end up as you should.

I have two other pieces of wisdom that my venerable old age have granted me.

First, don't carry all your books around in a crate: people look at you funny.

Second. As someone who has a few of the trappings and titles of
prestige, I can tell you that prestige doesn't matter. Whether you're
sitting in your trailer with your family or you're Bill Gates deciding which
third world nation you?re going to buy today, if you're happy, be at ease
with yourself. Keep doing what you love, with the people you love, and don't worry about anything else.

That's about all I have to say. You are now on the brink of a new day,
with an open sky stretching above you for years and years of life ahead. I
thank you for the confidence that you will not only fill that sky with
something beautiful, but love one another while you do so. Thank you for
being yourselves. Good evening.



From Natalie, Salutatorian
Good afternoon. Commencement is a celebration for the members of the Class of 2001, family, and friends. It symbolizes the efforts made by every student to truly go out and make a difference. We, as the Class of 2001, have culminated four years of hard work, difficult study, and fantastic memories.

Teachers have become the stepping stone that allows us to walk down the path of life as new graduates. As we now realize, they have inspired us, kept us humble, and challenged us to succeed beyond measure. They have truly made a difference in what we have become and who we will be.

Friendships form bridges that cannot be broken. Through friends, we have learned encouragement, bravery, and sacrifice. We have persevered through many challenges with friends at our side, pushing us forward. Just the smiling face of a friend during a time of difficulty can really make a difference in the outcome of seemingly bad circumstances.

Families form the basis of knowledge, life experiences, happiness, and joy. Families make a difference in our lives by forming the sense of stability we all hold dear. They have nurtured and encouraged us to uphold our values and transfer ideals from one generation to the next. Families indeed hold the keys to our future success.

In addition to these three key groups, other individuals have also made a difference in our lives. Remember as a first grader that bus driver that let you off close to your front door when it was raining. Remember the faithful custodian who would return a lost item and make your day. Remember that cafeteria lady that would give you an extra scoop of potatoes with a smile. Remember that principal that always knew your name. Remember that coach who became both your leader and your friend. Remember the siblings that asked you for help in their times of need. Remember that minister that prayed for you. Remember the teacher that challenged you to make connections. Remember the friend that could brighten your day with just a smile. Remember the uncle that crunched that snowball over your head. Remember the grandparents who took you out for ice cream. Remember the parents that bandaged you up after a fall.

These great encounters with leadership will allow us to pass along the teachings we have learned. We, too, will someday be teachers, parents, custodians, principals, and coaches. We should look forward to making a difference in the lives of future generations.